New RN NICU Hire And Want to Start a Family

Sour Lemon · Sep 20, 2016

Hi all! I am a new hire RN in the NICU in a big city hospital. I came to the NICU with one year of previous hospital experience (not in NICU). I am about one month into orientation (already started on the unit) and my husband and I really want to start a family. My OBGYN suggested I let my job know that we plan on starting a family because it's the safest for me and the future baby. The NICU does have x-rays on the unit, CMV positive babies and Nitric oxide administration. Does anyone have any advice? How to go about bringning it up/telling management? Thanks in advance!

That seems like way too much information to pass on to a new employer (or even an old one). I'm intrigued ...is this a normal thing when one works in an NICU?

NicuGal, MSN, RN · Sep 20, 2016

I wouldn't even worry about any of that until you are pregnant. Just be sensible about X-rays and use universal precautions. We never have anyone say anything until they are pregnant.

Cat365 · Sep 20, 2016

It wouldn't even occur to me to inform my employer that I was considering becoming pregnant.

Id follow nicugals advice. What happens with unplanned babies of RNs? What if it takes you 1.5 years to become pregnant? Will you refuse patients that might be risky for the entire time?

I hate those nurses that do that. They chose to be a nurse and that might carry some risk, but so does driving. Be careful, protect yourself, and try not to worry.

llg, PhD, RN · Sep 20, 2016

A normal pregnancy is not a disability. You'll be expected to do the job of a NICU nurse when you are pregnant. Not many accommodations will be made. Lots of NICU nurses have babies and continue to work right up until delivery. No need to tell your employer until you are actually pregnant.

roser13, ASN, RN · Sep 20, 2016

Your OB is really off the mark. Pregnancy happens and no one needs to have accommodations made well in advance. No one is going to treat you with kid gloves even when you are pregnant. Women have worked for years to have pregnancy treated as a normal part of a woman's life, not as a disability. Try not to set back all the progress.

SmilingBluEyes · Sep 20, 2016

WHEN you become pregnant, your OB will have recommendations to keep yourself and baby safe. If you can't care for a certain baby or do certain tasks, you will be expected to step up in other ways to take the burden off coworkers. Failing that, you will have some annoyed colleagues. Pregnancy is a HEALTHY condition unless complications arise, which are not that awfully common.

Always take your fair share of the load IF you want to get along well in any nursing environment.

I would keep the fact you are trying to conceive under your hat. You have no idea how long it may take, and really, it's no one's business.

**NICU Guy, BSN, RN** · Sep 20, 2016

We have several nurses pregnant at any time and there is never an issue. They just ask someone else to help with the xray on their patients. It is very hard to hide a pregnancy because the only valid reason to ask someone else to help with an x ray is pregnancy.

TheCommuter, BSN, RN · Sep 21, 2016

Moved to the NICU Nursing forum.

TiffyRN, BSN, PhD · Sep 21, 2016

I think half our nurses are pregnant at any given time. Ok, not really, but. . . They get someone else to shoot their x-rays and ask to be re-assigned if there is a CMV baby. I wouldn't have a big ole' discussion with your manager ahead of time. Women get pregnant, it happens. Just take in consideration that to get FMLA you usually have to have been an employee at least a year (I think). I've not seen any of our nurses let go for that reason (not being able to take leave), but I have seen newish hires forced to come back to work after 4 weeks if they didn't qualify for FMLA.

At a magnet facility.

It's disgusting.

NotAllWhoWandeRN, ASN, RN · Sep 21, 2016

I think half our nurses are pregnant at any given time. Ok, not really, but. . . They get someone else to shoot their x-rays and ask to be re-assigned if there is a CMV baby. I wouldn't have a big ole' discussion with your manager ahead of time. Women get pregnant, it happens. Just take in consideration that to get FMLA you usually have to have been an employee at least a year (I think). I've not seen any of our nurses let go for that reason (not being able to take leave), but I have seen newish hires forced to come back to work after 4 weeks if they didn't qualify for FMLA.
At a magnet facility.
It's disgusting.

You do not qualify for FMLA until you have been employed for a year and have worked 1,250 hours :bluecry1:

secondlifenurse, MSN, RN · Sep 21, 2016

Personally, I would avoid sharing any family planning information with my boss/my work. And once you are indeed pregnant, it is on a need-to-know basis. I.e., not until assigned the CMV+ pt would I divulge I was pregnant; I would always be cautious with the NICU x-rays, pregnancy or no (protect those ovaries :up: ).