Pregnant and starting in the OR?

Specialties Operating Room

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Hi everyone,

I am in need of some good advice. I am currently finishing up my OR course and am doing my clinical hours. I have an OR job interview and the odds are looking good to getting the job because they are very short staff and I already work at the hospital in another department/nursing unit. The issue is, I am pregnant!! I will be about 8 weeks at "tentative start date"- since I'm a rookie, I will be orientated to the OR via a 6 month program with preceptor. How do you suggest I go about handling this situation? I don't want to start off in an 'awkward position' with my soon-to-be new manager, but hey- this is life right? Any advice is appreciated.

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Specializes in med-surg, OR.

I personally would go for it anyway, and not say anything until after, unless you are put into a position where you need to disclose the pregnancy. Only because, if you do not take the job now, would you have a second chance at the position after you come back from maternity leave?

Also, normally people wait at least 3 months to announce a pregnancy, to make sure everything is sound. You could have very well not have known at the interview, or were not comfortable in disclosing to anyone at that point. I say go for the job!

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Thanks for the advice!!! Any other tips on how to get out of the room or excuse myself for ortho/xray/fluoro cases? Right now that's my main concern is the exposure to xrays.

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Specializes in O.R., ED, M/S.

Right off the bat you are putting your manager in a sticky situation Did she/he know you were pregnant at your interview? If so then they will have to work around it. If not then there are problems. The first is since you are a new hire the training period will get either very short or after you come off maternity leave you will have to pick up and start some things all over. To be honest with you if I had been the manager and knew you were pregnant I probably would have passed on you. The reason, there is no continuity on your training. After 6 months you work as a newbie for 3 months and that is if you go to full term. Then you are off for , lets say, 8 weeks. So everything you have learned will have to be learned all over, so in essence it's a "do-over". As far as the x-ray thing goes, yes you need to be as far away as you can get. Staffing rooms can get a little different especially if that day all the rooms will have x-rays then the charge needs to look at getting you out or relieving you. I'm sorry for being so blunt but your pregnancy is very serious and your health should not be compromised for a job. I hope your job can work around this. Also, some managers aren't happy if they learn that you knew you were pregnant at the interview and did'nt tell them. This is not a nice way to start when you don't disclose this to the Boss. Good luck

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I once disclosed that I was pregnant at the interview and was told that they decided not to fill the position.

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