Pregnancy and dismissal from nursing school

ktwlpn, LPN · Jan 19, 2012

I'm currently attending an LPN program in the state of CT and I'm due to have my baby in April 2012.. I'm in a eighteen month program and they only allow eight clinical days to be missed. I have reached my eighth day because I'm a high risk pregnancy and have been in and out the hospital several times. The director of the nursing program notified me about reaching my eighth day and told me if I miss one more clinical day I will be dismissed from the program. She said I better pray to god I don't deliver on a Wednesday, Thursday or Friday because those are clinical days and if so I better make sure it's a Friday after 2:30pm I'm due to graduate in June 2012 and would really be devastated if I get dismissed from the program. I plan to return to school at least three to four days after the delivery if all goes well. I dont know what to do now since she said I'm at the end of the rope. Please advice!! Thanks

Your baby's health is the most important thing here-Talk to the director and find out exactly when you can re-join the program if you go into labor and miss another clinical day.I had a classmate in your situation-she dropped out half way thru the last level and was able to get back into the very next one .Maybe your director will allow you to do the same. If so,maybe you should consider dropping out now after you get the above in writing.This stress is not good for the two of you.

spectrabrite, LVN · Jan 19, 2012

our school warned all the female students not to get pregnant during school, and does not accept students already pregnant.

x_factor · Jan 19, 2012

I'm surprised your school is letting you stay in the program. My school does not allow you to be pregnant while in the program, and warns students before entering to not plan on getting pregnant, and to take precautions to avoid letting an "accident" happen and end up pregnant anyways. Either way, you're out if it happens.

It's a rule at my school because of multiple reasons, one being because students sit on waiting lists waiting to get in, and you have a student that goes and gets pregnant and gets dropped anyways, and that takes away a spot from a potential student. It's also a rule because we do clinicals, and are exposed to x-ray machines, medications, viruses, ect. that could potentially harm a fetus.

Other than that... you're lucky your program has allowed you to stay even being pregnant at all. And on top of that, 8 missed clinical days? My program does not allow even 1 missed day, or your dropped from the program. It's strict and strenuous, so I'd say you're lucky your program has given you 7 days to miss as it is.

Bronxtale · Jan 19, 2012

Do you live in the state of Connecticut? Different rules apply for most states. I can understand about having missed eight clinical days but I have been hospitalized and have no control about my situation. The only thing I can do at this point is hope and pray things work out for me.

Bronxtale · Jan 19, 2012

I'm not sure if that's even legal!! Telling student not to get pregnant? That's pregnancy discrimination! I recall older nurses saying this was the case many years ago but I have never heard of it in CT or NY.

Bronxtale · Jan 19, 2012

Thanks for te advice. My director didn't ask me to drop but gave me a heads up. A new group of students will start Aug 2012 but I will not be able to join the last semester until September 2013 Its really hard to accept that I might be dismissed from the program two months before graduation and will have to wait a 1 1/2 year to finish. I will keep u updated. Thanks :)

x_factor · Jan 20, 2012

I'm not sure if that's even legal!! Telling student not to get pregnant? That's pregnancy discrimination!

Pregnancy is a choice, not a medical disability. Not illegal at all.

KatieMI, BSN, MSN, RN · Jan 20, 2012

Dear OP, PLEASE think about yourself and your baby's health first!!

Faculty in school knows that, if something happens, they in current legal climate have a pretty high chances to be held legally and financially responsible for whatever might go wrong with pregnant student or her child, including things like lifelong high-tech care. They just try to avoid getting into very big trouble not to put students onto the frying pan in meantime. So many nursing students would grab a chance to see cardiac cath or hang chemo pump, not realizing that they must be sure they're not pregnant before doing it. (they actually should be asked... but it doesn't always happen).

Bronxtale · Jan 20, 2012

Pregnancy is a choice, not a medical disability. Not illegal at all.

It is a choice, but when the pregnancy becomes high risk its considered a disability. I've never heard of any employer, school, organization telling women they can't get pregnant. That's ridiculous!

mamabadger · Jan 20, 2012

Hello, I am in one of the CT programs and unfortunately there is nothing you can do but not miss any more clinical time. They build in 8 extra clinical days and if you miss more than that you don't make the hours requirement. Our instructors and Dept Head have made this very clear to us and said there are zero exceptions to the 8 day rule. You are in a tough spot and I wish you the best of luck...hope you are able to graduate on time.

It is also crazy to me that programs automatically kick people out for getting pregnant. It makes it harder, but once we are nurses we don't have to quit our jobs if we become pregnant. Yes there are dangers and as students don't have the flexibility to choose what we will and won't do in clinicals, but to just make a blanket rule seems extreme. I have had 2 friends become pregnant while in the program and make it through, but they weren't due until after graduation.

Bronxtale · Jan 20, 2012

Thanks Mamabadger:) I really hope he come during Easter vacation which is when I'm due. I really hope to make it to the end. This is really stressing me out I just want to enjoy the pregnancy and knowing that I might possibly be dismissed from the program brings me to tears. I can't even sleep! I have the worst anxiety ever! I'm praying for a miracle.