New grad and Pregnant...help

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Hi,

I graduated nursing school September 2010 w/ my BSN. I have two previous degrees in Biology and Psychology and my previous work experience is customer service and private pharmacy compounding. I am currently working as a licensed healthcare communicator(I just started working for this company in May...this is my first nursing job). I work as a nurse but not in a traditional setting. My company is contracted by pharmaceutical companies to respond to medical information inquires from healthcare professionals and the public on various products, as well as recognize and do first line documentation of product quality complaints and adverse events for internal client use and FDA.

I am 4 months pregnant (I'm due in December and this is my first pregnancy) time is going by and I have no actual clinical experience besides academic. I also completed some additional courses at a local hospital b/c I enjoy learning and I figured they would make me more promotable (critical care course, and dysrhythmia course, I also have my ACLS and BLS). So my question is should I seek employment in a clinical setting now even though I may end up taking either an extended leave of absence/ or quitting for like a year ...just so I can have that experience to put on my resume. Or should I stay in my current position since it is a comfy corporate nursing job and wait till I am ready to pursue and have time to invest in a clinical position???

My other questions are what time frame do potential employers determine is too long w/o clinical experience that they would require or want to see someone take a nursing refresher course? (which are pretty expensive from what I've come across)

Being Pregnant what type of clinical nursing positions should I pursue???

I have 2 interviews this Monday for home health care agencies....what should I be concerned about with this type of work and being pregnant. And what are potential questions I should ask? I don't want to say I'm pregnant b/c I feel like it might ruin my chances of getting hired anywhere ....my current job doesn't even know b/c I don't want them to think that I'm only there short term...I figure I'll say something when I start to show....

Just for FYI...my dream nursing jobs would be working in the OR, nurse researcher, forensic nurse, or working for a pathologist....any suggestions for getting my foot in the door to any of these positions besides just continually applying???

Sorry I have soooo many questions, hope someone out there could offer good advice. Thank you in advance for taking the time and responding to my post.

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Specializes in CVICU.

Unless you really, really want to be a bedside nurse, why leave the cushy corporate nursing job? That's the sort of thing that many bedside nurses dream of being able to do instead of bedside nursing. I understand if it's not your thing, but it sounds fantastic to me.

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Specializes in School Nursing.

I agree with JulieCVICURN. Keep the cushy job, especially now while you are pregnant. I would not make any changes right now. Since the OR is completely different from bedside nursing, you may in the future be able to find an internship to train as an OR Circulator down the road. Not sure about the other areas you mentioned. Working in pathology would be fun and fascinating but I have not heard of any nursing positions in this area. I would be interested in that too!

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I think you should wait until you give birth, have your mat leave, and then look for something else while you are working. The hiring agency might get really upset with you if they hire you while you are pregnant, and then find out about it.

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Keep your current job!

The danger of exposing you and your child to infection, irregular work schedules, heavy physical work, strenuous emotional situations etc. is much higher during bedside nursing. Especially if you have not done it before.

I do not know what time frame employers see as too long without clinical experience but have to agree that OR is so different again that it has it's own rules. I'm fairly sure you wouldn't want to be pregnant starting out in OR with all the anaesthetic gases and bodyfluid exposures and the long standing.

Forensic nursing? Very interesting, but you need a very thick skin and a very stable emotional status. And it's not the least dangerous job. Maybe also wait till later.

For nurse researcher you don't need much if any clinical experience and can just pursue the paht on which you are.

Pathology nurse you can do a few courses regarding advanced iv cannulation etc - but you also don't need much clinical experience and can conveniently start this later on.

So maybe you just lean back in your current position and enjoy your pregnancy and motherhood. And then everything changes anyway.

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I'm going to agree with previous posters. I'm a mom of two precious kiddos. I work med/surg. It was HARD working acute care while pregnant. I was exhausted, swollen legs and being on my feet all night, and having patients on isolation (MRSA/Cdiff etc). After my kids were born, it was HARD finding time to escape the floor every few hours at work to pump milk for my babies.While pumping at work, I was always worried about my milk being contaminated with MRSA or Cdiff. :-(

If I were you, I would stay in the cushy job for now. You can try other "exciting" things later. I treasure the time with my kids. They grow so fast. I am putting off my "dream" job too, just to spend more time with them. If you are very antsy to seek new opportunities, you can...it won't hurt to look. But just know that acute care is very stressful. I have had my employer want to change my set work schedule (very hard when you have kids/daycare to set up)...and being exposed to MRSA, VRE, TB and CDiff is a bigger bummer when pregnant/nursing mom. Just my point of view. You have to do what feels right for you! Good luck in your decision. I think what you are doing now is very important, and please know you are still a nurse even if your role is not traditional. :-) Good luck! Enjoy your baby!!! :redbeathe

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I agree with the others... keep the cushy job! Don't expose that precious baby to any type of infectious disease. I know how you feel. I found out I was pregnant with my 2nd child after just becoming an LPN. Unfortunately, I had no job at the time, and had just gotten my license. I have not been able to work due to lack of childcare help, and have been a stay at home mom since the baby was born. I barely have any clinical experience & have been out of work 3 years. I am hoping to re-enter the LPN job market soon. I just worry where I have no experience! Keep your job, worry about a bedside job after the baby is born.

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Specializes in Hospice.

I will agree with others. I am also pregnant have had two exposures that put my baby at risk......and I'm not talking about c-diff or mrsa.......much much scarier stuff .

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Thanks everyone for your input. I have a lot to think about.

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Specializes in aged -adolescent.

Just curious about whether in USA if you are able to take maternity leave at half pay. If you really want to work for a while and know that you want to return to that field of nursing it may be an option for you. Hope it all works out for you. Enjoy your bub.

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I guess my issue is that I live in an area that is pretty congested with nurses and jobs are hard to come by. Any jobs in my area...even in clinical research, require at least a year or more of clinical experience. Yes, my job is really cushy nothing is life or death but the job is an hour from where I live, I'm getting no clinical experience, and I'm only making $20 per/hr. I just feel like I didn't go through an accelerated 15 month BSN program as well as all my other education to only make that much and to not utilize all the knowledge and skills I acquired in nursing school. I'm just really confused and I don't know what to do. I know I'm pregnant an I should be taking it easy but, I just feel like I'm missing out on something more.

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Hey gizmo 222.

I am also 4 months preggo with a December dues date. Nice!

I am however working in MedSurg/Tele floor as a new grad RN and I kid you not, scared and terrified since I went solo (without my new grad preceptor).

I am in the process of looking for a non-bedside nursing job and I came across your post.

Please let me know how to apply for that kind of job.. I am thiclose to saying goodbye to bedside nursing if I can find a job as pregnancy-friendly as yours!

Aight, keep me posted :)

Happy pregnancy!

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