Pregnancy and dismissal from nursing school

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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

Specializes in School Nursing.
Dear, Woof

It seems to me like you are one those classmates that can't have any children and take it out on the world.

I went back and re-read what Wooh said. Blunt, yes, but not mean-spirited. The above, however, is just cruel.

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Specializes in Oncology; medical specialty website.

I agree, it was totally uncalled for. Wooh gives good advice to many people here. Why solicit opinions if you're just going to get angry and be hateful to someone who gives you an answer you don't like?

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I do kind of like being called "Woof." Being a total dog person, it kind of fits. :)

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Specializes in OR, Nursing Professional Development.

Your health, and the health of your baby are most important right now. If your school dismisses you for missing too many clinical days, that is not "pregnancy discrimination," it is a completely legal application of rules you agreed to when choosing to attend the school. Exceptions aren't, nor should they be, granted for pregnant students. Many schools as it is require only the minimum clinical hours to meet standards set by the BON. Missing eight clinicals seems pretty generous to me- we were only allowed to miss one without making it up, and only two make-up clinicals were permitted per semester. As for going back 3 or 4 days after delivery, are you sure your doctor will allow that?

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Not to stir the pot, but just to say it can be done........I had a baby while taking A&P, micro and gen psych, then I had another one while taking A&P 2, chem, and anthropology, and yes - I then had another one while in my med-surg rotation. I told NO ONE that I was pregnant. I had class on Monday, clinicals on Tue and Wed, labs on Thurs, C-section on Friday, home from hospital at 7:30 am Monday morning - and my husband dropped me off at my 8 am class and took baby home with him!!! That was the day I told them that I had been pregnant. Yes, I pulled straight A's, I never missed a day of class or clinical, and I do have a 4, 3, and 2 year old !!! :)

That being said, nurses have babies all the time and they don't stop working to do it. You are going to have to deal with being exposed to the same stuff now as you would later. I don't think you need to feel guilty for wanting both things - a baby and a diploma! Best of luck to you and baby - I hope you make it!!!

--proud mom of 12 kids!!!!

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Specializes in Psych ICU, addictions.
Not to stir the pot, but just to say it can be done.

It definitely can be done, AEB some of my classmates. One was even lucky enough to be due right during our three week break, so she was able to come right back.

But the odds are successfully doing it are much higher if the pregnancy is uncomplicated...something that the OP's isn't, given that OP wrote she already been hospitalized several times. The classmate of mine that delivered at the right time didn't miss a single day of class or clinical through the entire pregnancy, so wasn't in any danger of being kicked out. Whereas the OP has missed a lot of clincal because of her absences.

Other classmates who were pregnant had dropped back to a later class because they they were in danger of dismissal, or didn't want to give birth right in the middle of a class.

So pregnancy in school can be done but the woman--and the OP--need to be wise about it. And sometimes that means knowing the difference between when to fight on and when to postpone the battle.

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Specializes in Psych ICU, addictions.

Dear, Woof

It seems to me like you are one those classmates that can't have any children and take it out on the world.

That is the cruelest thing that I have ever read on this forum, but I'll give you the benefit of the doubt and chalk it up to the stress and hormones of the pregnancy.

But there are two valid points in this thread to consider. First, nursing school IS unfair and there's no two ways about it: the school sets the rules and if you want to start down the road to nursing, those rules need to be followed come hell or high water. You really need to consider how much you are willing to risk dismissal from the program (i.e., absence #9) just to finish on time. At least the school was kind enough to give you a heads-up about the danger you were in.

In addition, you need to weigh if trying to finish on-time is worth the potential stress to your health and your baby. If your high-risk pregnancy has been challenging enough to date to require several hospitalizations, I honestly don't foresee it suddenly improving, especially with the stress of nursing school added on top of it.

But that is your decision, not mine.

Second, you did ask for advice, and if what you get is something you didn't want to hear, you should not have posted on a public forum. The price of free speech means we're going to hear a few things that we don't like. So take what advice you want, ignore the rest, and best of luck to you and the little one no matter what you decide.

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Wow, OP. That was by a long shot the most hateful thing I've read on here. (And I agree with pp that Wooh's comment was blunt, but in no way rude or hateful.)

I also have to agree that it is absolutely fair that NO MATTER WHAT THE REASON, an absence policy is an absence policy. If they started letting everyone miss clinicals for various reasons, even though they might be valid, it would compromise the care that the patient receives, whether you think you can be a great nurse or not.

I would really think long and hard about whether speeding up the process of nursing school is worth the health of your baby. It's not like you are being told you can never come back. It will be delayed and delayed nursing school is a far better option than visiting your sick child in the NICU for months on end because a break seemed unbearable.

Maybe this comes with being able to have children easily, but it sounds like you take a lot for granted. You are in a nursing program, have the option to finish AND received the greatest gift life has to offer: a child.

A lot of people, including myself, would kill to be in your shoes. I'd drop out of nursing school, never go back, and scrape pennies for the rest of my life if it meant I could have a second child. And when you think that we take it out on the world, maybe you should think about the fact that we have to constantly deal with ingrates such as yourself complaining about the very thing we want so badly "inconveniencing" your life. You are lucky in many, many ways. Take care of yourself and your baby.

In a nursing program AND having a child that you call a blessing should really be enough.

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Specializes in Reproductive & Public Health.

God, that is ridiculous. I was pregnant with TWINS during nursing school. I never missed a clinical but I did miss a few major tests. Assuming you are a stellar student, they should help you figure out how to make up your missed clinicals.

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Specializes in OR, Nursing Professional Development.
God, that is ridiculous. I was pregnant with TWINS during nursing school. I never missed a clinical but I did miss a few major tests. Assuming you are a stellar student, they should help you figure out how to make up your missed clinicals.
What's ridiculous about holding her to the same attendance policy as every other student? As someone already posted, if they make an exception for her, they'd have to make an exception for everyone. Why bother even having an attendance policy then? School comes with responsibility, and that means fulfilling the obligations required. That's what being an adult is all about, or at least supposed to be about.
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Wow eight clinical days .We were only allow to miss 2 days but that's besides the point.

I also knew girls in your position from what a professor said about pregnancy is our school which is part of CUNY is that if your passing the nursing curriculum you can repeart the course and it won't count as a failure something in that matter.

Also you can appeal if worst comes to worst all nursing deparpments have a nursing board not to be confused with the board of nursing ed which gives us our licenses.

wish you the best .

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what program are you in and what school

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