New Grad - Pregnant New Job

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I am a new grad nurse & I recently accepted my dream job as a L&D nurse. I am currently 16 weeks pregnant & did not disclose during my interview, plus a lot of peopleI asked told me I should not disclose in my interview due to possible discrimination. I thought I would be able to start sooner but the next orientation is not until January because of the holidays which will me make me about 6 months pregnant when I officially start! 

My orientation period is 4 months so I'm sure I would end up giving birth before my training is complete. I feel bad now knowing I may not be able to complete orientation.

Has anyone been in this situation or have any advice?  

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First, and most importantly, congratulations!

To answer your question, while it's very much illegal to discriminate against pregnancy in the hiring process, in reality, it's understandable to withhold, and I don't think anyone would fault you for that.

I'm not a nurse, but one of the best teammates I ever worked with shared she was pregnant maybe two months into the new role. Before leaving for maternity, she took the time to learn the role so she could hit the ground running. Within maybe one month after her return she was already past where most in her cohort were.

I'd probably tell them soon and I'd work hard to instill confidence that they made the right decision before your leave.

In summary, work hard and enjoy that precious time. If management is so ruthless that they hold this against you, you should not work there. Easier to say that from the outside, but that's the truth.

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The best option is  to contact the hiring manager & have an open & honest conversation about the situation. I would NOT tell him/her you knew at the interview you were pregnant, I would simply say shortly after interviewing/accepting the position you found out. This way you can figure out together the best course of action with moving forward together.

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Peachpit said:

I would NOT tell him/her you knew at the interview you were pregnant, I would simply say shortly after interviewing/accepting the position you found out.

She knew during the interview. I absolutely 100 percent disagree with lying about that fact. The ramifications of lying could cost her the job. I don't believe her manager can even legally ask if she knew and even if her manager is stupid enough to do so the OP can politely decline answering the question. It is her legal right to do so. 

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No matter what all of the circumstances that led up to this, it will be up to management to keep you on after your maternity leave.  Management is not going to take kindly to the situation. They will do whatever to complete your orientation. If they are ticked off enough, they can easily turn you to toast afterwards.

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Specializes in Tele, ICU, Staff Development.

Like others said, and as a former manager, contact your manager soon and arrange to meet with her in person.

You're not alone - many new grads experience pregnancy. Likewise, your manager has undoubtedly dealt with this situation before.

Talking with her now will be better for both of you. It prevents your manager from being blindsided in January; it relieves you of the stress of concealing the news.

Best wishes, congratulations,  and stay healthy.

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Specializes in Psych, Hospice, Surgical unit, L&D/Postpartum.

Labor and delivery is a very physical and stressful job. It may be a bit hard to learn the role and care for patients while entering your third trimester. Is there a postpartum unit you could work on first, then transfer to labor after your baby is born? Learning PP first can help with the role of an labor nurse. I think you really need to tell your manager now though so she does not feel surprised when orientation starts in January and sees that you are 6 months pregnant. Good luck and congrats on your pregnancy!

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Another point to consider: as a new employee, your maternity leave may be much shorter than you think.

Most people take maternity leave through FMLA, which ensures that your job is protected for up to a 12-week (3-month) leave. You won't be eligible for FMLA until you've worked at that hospital for a full year. Therefore, the length of your maternity leave is entirely up to the hospital's discretion. They may tell you that you have to be back in 6 weeks (or however long they choose), or else you will lose your job. Some hospitals/managers are more flexible and understanding than others.

It is important to have this conversation with your manager now so you can plan for when the baby comes. Most managers are completely used to figuring out staffing during maternity leave, and I'm sure they have a precedent for this exact scenario.

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adventure_rn said:

Another point to consider: as a new employee, your maternity leave may be much shorter than you think.

Excellent point and to take it even further, depending on the employer, the OP may not qualify for the facility's short term disability yet. So even if they give her maternity leave it could very likely be completely unpaid. This may not be relevant to the OP's personal situation but it's important to put it out there for others who may find themselves in the same place. 
 

As I said before, this calls for open, honest communication with her manager and the sooner the better. 

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