I would like the advice of others on the following, I'm a new graduate and I have just been hired for my dream job as a new graduate nurse. I am signing a 2 year contract and the first 10 months includes orientation through 2 different units. I am currently 14wks pregnant, So I won't be delivering until late march of 2011. I dont want to conceal the pregnancy for too long but I'm terrified by horror stories. I have been thinking to work at least 1 full month and go above and beyond the call of duty to prove my worthiness in my new position before informing them. But I would love the advice or encouragement from anyone who has had a similar situation. I need this job and want it more than anything so I just want to make sure I do everything to keep it. Also-- doesnt everyone think that being a nurse (is almost the best career in which people, more specifially nurse managers want to work with their "good employees") Thanks for your responses!
I would like the advice of others on the following, I'm a new graduate and I have just been hired for my dream job as a new graduate nurse. I am signing a 2 year contract and the first 10 months includes orientation through 2 different units. I am currently 14wks pregnant, So I won't be delivering until late march of 2011. I dont want to conceal the pregnancy for too long but I'm terrified by horror stories. I have been thinking to work at least 1 full month and go above and beyond the call of duty to prove my worthiness in my new position before informing them. But I would love the advice or encouragement from anyone who has had a similar situation. I need this job and want it more than anything so I just want to make sure I do everything to keep it. Also-- doesnt everyone think that being a nurse (is almost the best career in which people, more specifially nurse managers want to work with their "good employees") Thanks for your responses!
You are under no obligation to inform them of your pregnancy until the time comes that you cannot perform some duty that would but you or your baby at risk.
As a female, I can assure you that not every manager is sympathetic to newly pregnant nurses, especially if they haven't even started their job yet.
If it were me, I would say nothing until I absolutely had no choice.
Thanks everyone for your post and thank you for the congrats as well. I truely appreciate it and while everyone has their different oppinions I really value each of the prospectives.
If I did conceal it for another month I would only do it so that my nurse manager and other co-workers were aware of my complete ability to perform without looking for mistakes or reasons to make judgements. I would present the pregnancy in a matter that I wasnt trying to conceal it, however I was scared because this is truely the reason to hide it.
I'm hoping that I will have an amazing staff and nurse manager and I will feel the ease as soon as possible, I hate to have to hide something that so amazing and exciting in my life. But, with this job market I really need to hang on to this job.
So also, I'm already hired and start orientation on this upcoming Monday and will be meeting my Nurse manager on Wednesday so I'll keep praying that everything is going to work out and hopefully provide some encouragment to others in my position.
Thanks again for the post!!!!! :) ---goes to show nurses care!!!
I am currently in a similar situation. I was about 7 weeks when interviewed, 8 when given the job offer. Now 10 and about to start orientation in a week. All before end of the first trimester when miscarriage rate goes down....
It is daunting to me to disclose it to my NM, fellow employees etc. Although I am planning on doing it this week before the job begins.
I don't care what ANYONE says..have you read the "Unemployed Nurses" thread? You are SO very lucky to have been hired. Places can say they don't discriminate ALL they want, but I've never met a pregnant woman who has had an easy time getting hired.
I think your idea is a good one...work for about a month and then announce it. If you were to have announced that in the interview I can literally guarantee they would have never hired you. It's messed up but true!
I am currently in a similar situation. I was about 7 weeks when interviewed, 8 when given the job offer. Now 10 and about to start orientation in a week. All before end of the first trimester when miscarriage rate goes down....
It is daunting to me to disclose it to my NM, fellow employees etc. Although I am planning on doing it this week before the job begins.
Just curious, how did it turn out for you?
I wouldn't disclose it to anyone until you start showing, or have some physical problem from your pg that is affecting your ability to work (extreme nausea or something like that). No reason to do it right now before you even start the orientation.
I am in a similar situation. Just interviewed for my dream job (which took several months to get an interview for!) and then right before being offered the job I found out I was pregnant (unplanned)! I figure I'm about 7 weeks along and about to start orientation next week. I want to be excited about all the changes in my life, but I'm terrified of the reaction I may get from my new job. The timing is terrible! I won't have any FMLA by the time I give birth which stresses me out along with the prospect of being a new nurse while pregnant. I'm definitely not going to tell them until the second trimester, but I will just be starting on the floor after several weeks of orientation by then. I'm really trying to think positively, but can't seem to keep the anxiety at bay.
I would have told them. I came close to signing a 2 year agreement when I was graduating and pregnant, and was told that since my birth time was not over 12 months of service, and didnt' qualify for FMLA, they would have to "fire me" during my maternity leave and then bring me back. Well, ok. Then they said b/c I broke the agreement I would have to repay training costs of 10 grand. Not ok. I ended up telling every other employer up front and finally found one that was ok with me being out after not being there long.
And if you're on med-surg, they will stick you with the nasty lifting, MRSA, and everything else if they don't know you are pregnant. Be cautious if you're working in med-surg, ID, anything like that.
Yes they do, and their "good employees" are also their honest employees. If you start working for a month, then tell them, that sounds a little bit dishonest to me. I would tell them if I were you. If you tell them you can discuss how long you are expecting to be on maternity leave, so all the cards are on the table. They may not hire you, but if you hide the fact that you are pregnant just to get the job, your manager will most likely not be very happy with you. I can't imagine this would lead to a great work atmosphere.
Men don't have to deal with the whole pregnancy discrimination thing, obviously. Women bear children, and, unfortunately for employers (sarcasm intended), there is no other way to populate this planet. It's a fact of life (pun intended) that employers and employees have to deal with.
Maybe, just maybe, women have learned to hide their pregnancies as long as possible because employers have been dishonest in their ways of getting around the the Civil Rights Act. You pretty much said so in your post, even going so far as to mention a less-than-welcoming work environment because *gasp* a female employee is *second gasp* pregnant!
BabyLady, BSN, RN
2,300 Posts
You are under no obligation to inform them of your pregnancy until the time comes that you cannot perform some duty that would but you or your baby at risk.
As a female, I can assure you that not every manager is sympathetic to newly pregnant nurses, especially if they haven't even started their job yet.
If it were me, I would say nothing until I absolutely had no choice.