New NP, contract job ending and pregnant? Take RN job?

Specialties NP

Published

Needing advice!

I graduated last summer from a direct entry program and passed my FNP boards last august and moved from my home state of MA to TN. Getting anyone to consider a new grad (from a direct-entry program) in a new state was TOUGH, especially in Nashville where the market is oversaturated and highly competitive. I took the first job I was offered after 5 months of non-stop searching and currently work as an independent contractor for humana doing yearly wellness visits in the home. This job is contract based and will be ending soon as Humana is pulling out of most TN counties, which will leave me once again jobless. Here's my dilemma, I am 4 months pregnant and concerned that if I get someone to take a chance and take on a new NP with

Do I consider taking on an RN job until the baby is born and restart the NP job search after that? Will going from an NP position to an RN position look undesirable to future employers? Or do I try and get an NP job and tell them I'm 4 months pregnant during the interview, since they'd be investing so much time on getting me started just for me to leave for maternity soon after? I'm stuck on this one! The NP job search has been far more difficult than I ever expected in Nashville with most places wanting atleast a year of experience add being pregnant on top of that and it seems near impossible.

Would love to hear thought and opinions!

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Specializes in Home Health, Primary Care.

Firstly, don't say how pregnant you are during the interview. It's none of their business and it would be illegal for them to ask. If you're showing, let them guess. But it them with the law if they dare ask how far along you are.

I say do what you gotta do. If the NP job search isn't working out, PRN RN jobs I think will be available to you, especially if you think FT RN jobs may frown upon you being an NP.

Just keep trucking. A girl's gotta eat, especially when eating for 2 í ½í¸

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Your pregnancy has no bearing on your ability to do your job as a NP. You are still early on in your pregnancy and will be able to contribute to any practice. They are guess if you are showing but it should not be a point of discussion. What about locums tenens position? Some employers may not want to hire you as an they will be aware that you are a NP and will leave as soon as you get a job. You will be a new grad RN and extensive training will be invested in you and some hospitals systems will have you sign a 1-2 yr contract. I can understand your dilemma and wish you all the best. Keep trying for a NP job

Congrats on ur little blessing

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I would seek an NP job. Being that you do have some experience, it certainly will be benificial in the experience rhelm. Really you do not need to share that you are pregnant at all, but it is certainly more open if you do. I dont think it is something that they would/should hold against you. If you are a excellent canidate they will hire you no matter what. Also keep in mind, what if something happened to your pregnancy? I hate to say something like that, but it is good to think about and I would hate to have you hold back, not knowning your future! By the way, I was pregnant looking for my first NP position and certainly had the same thought process as you do!

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I don't think you can work PRN as a nurse without any experience...... at least not in my area. I would look for an NP job. best wishes!

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Specializes in Anesthesia, Pain, Emergency Medicine.

Now that you are a NP, you are judge at a different standard. You will always be judged as a NP not as a RN. Working as an RN is not a good idea.

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I should have added I do have RN experience, thought limited, I worked as an RN in a primary care office while studying for my NP boards. Hoping an NP job is willing to take me on :)

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Angie16451, Thank you for your response! That was my initial concern about telling any potential employers and then my fears shifted to "OMG what am I going to do if no one will hire me as an NP?" It's been extremely disheartening trying to find employers willing to take a chance on a newer NP in this area.

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Nomad crna, I agree and completely see this being the case. My concern is purely that this job will end soon, I am having so much difficulty finding an NP job due to my limited RN experience and having

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Cococure, thanks for replying. I've submitted my info to a few locum tenens recruiters. The issue they brought up was that I am not yet credentialed with most of the insurance companies and do not have my DEA license/ authority to prescribe (Need a collaborative agreement/formulary with an MD in TN and my current NP position hasnt required me to prescribe). I'm still hoping something will come up and this will all work out, it isn't my ideal choice to take an RN position when I've worked so hard to be an APRN. Also, I do have RN experience, but it is limited, as i only worked as an RN while studying for my boards. I wish it wasn't so difficult to get potential employers to consider a graduate from a direct entry program with

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Rnis, I do have some RN experience but it is in primary care and limited since I only worked as an RN while studying for my boards. I also have experience working at Mass general hospital on their MICU as a tech but I don't know how helpful this would be either. Ideally I don't want to even have to consider an RN job when I've just spent the past 7 months working as an NP (and lots of time, energy and money in school preparing for this) but it's certainly intimidating when finding an NP job seems extraordinarily difficult during such a time sensitive point in my life í ½í±¶

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Not to be a total jerk....... but that is not real RN experience in relation to the traditional role in the hospital.

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