I just graduated college for my RN and I am waiting to take NCLEX. I am also 9 weeks pregnant.
This baby was a surprise for us and we are reevaluating a lot of things in our life right now... We are thinking about moving and having me be a stay at home mom until our kids are in school.
Would you take up an offer like that?
Would you feel like you were wasting your degree? Because most of us will agree that nursing school wasn't easy.
Also, if I decide to go back to working as a nurse, maybe at a physicians office or something other than a hospital floor in 5 years or so, will I still be hireable?
I would definitely get licensed and try finding a job and working until you have the baby. Some experience is better than none and they may be willing to work with you in terms of going part time or per diem after baby. My first ever nursing job was a per diem position (which I still have). It's for a small rural hospital. It may be more difficult getting hired per diem at a larger more suburban hospital or a doctors office with little to no experience but you can always try. Congrats on the baby! I am due with my first any day now..☺ï¸
Like others have said, you still have plenty of time to work before the baby comes. If you get a job in a hospital, they will probably let you work PRN, even if you were only full time for six months. That is what I recommend you do, and then keep that PRN job until you decide to work full time again.
Even if you got another full or part time job in a place with better hours, I would always keep that PRN position in acute care. Most places only make you work once or twice a shift, and it would be worth it to keep your experience current...even if that means giving up a few Saturday's every year.
I say this because it seems that it is much easier to transition from acute care, to a job out of the hospital, but once you've been out for more than a year, it can be hard to go back. And you might think you never want to go back, but you don't know what's going to happen (your husband not being able to work, or any other type of crisis), and being able to pick up a PRN job in a hospital is a good way to make some extra money. It's one of the good things about being a nurse, not all careers give you the option to work a part time job with the potential to make several hundred dollars in a day.
I feel for you. I graduated nursing school 15 weeks pregnant with a very unplanned pregnancy.
In my case, I ended up not working during the pregnancy because we moved to a different state when I was 7 months along - really too late to get a job. I ended up not getting a job until the baby was about 9 months old, partially because of trouble transferring my license, and partially because of limited local opportunities, especially for new grads.
I definitely feel it changed my career path. Maybe not for the worse, but I do think that it's ended up different than it would have if things had gone as planned.
If it were me knowing now what it was like (and if I had my license then), I would work part time through the pregnancy, enjoy the 3 month FMLA and then go back part time.
FMLA only kicks in after 12 months of employment, so she won't be eligible for that. Job protection will be totally up to her employer.
But overall, I agree. Working before the birth (assuming your pregnancy is uncomplicated) and then doing part-time/PRN after the birth is going to be your best shot at having a nursing career in the long run.
We don't know what the job market will look like in 5 years. Maybe the supposed mass-retirement of older nurses will actually occur, or the economy will improve drastically, and anyone with a license will have their choice of jobs. But you can't assume that, and as it is now, new grads fresh out of school often have hard times finding jobs. Someone who is 5 years out of school with no experience is going to have a and even harder time getting hired in many places.
Even if the job market does change, if you go 5 years without practicing, especially with no experience, you WILL forget a lot of what you learned.
Some states have employment requirements (needing to have worked a certain number of hours within the past however many years) for renewing your license, so check into that.
There are nurse refresher courses, designed to bring nurses who have been out of practice back up to speed. That might be an option. Or, if you're currently doing an ASN program, consider an RN to BSN program when you're closer to your expected time going back to work, especially one that includes a clinical component. Either option may reset the "New Grad" clock, as well as potentially helping you network.
I just graduated college for my RN and I am waiting to take NCLEX. I am also 9 weeks pregnant.
This baby was a surprise for us and we are reevaluating a lot of things in our life right now... We are thinking about moving and having me be a stay at home mom until our kids are in school.
Would you take up an offer like that?
Would you feel like you were wasting your degree? Because most of us will agree that nursing school wasn't easy.
Also, if I decide to go back to working as a nurse, maybe at a physicians office or something other than a hospital floor in 5 years or so, will I still be hireable?
Just need some opinions. Feeling stressed.
Have you thought about taking your boards and doing a graduate nurse program (usually 8-16 weeks depending on area) and then working until the baby comes? Then going per diem once you're ready to go back? You would most likely only have to pick up one shift a week at most or one a month at minimum. Just to keep your foot in the door.
First, congratulations on completing nursing school and your new pregnancy. Sometimes life's little unplanned surprises are the best ones.
There's really no right or wrong answer to your question. You just have to think about what is best for you and your family, and you can always change your decision later. A few things...
1. Even if you don't plan to practice now, take NCLEX to get licensed while nursing school is fresh in your head. I can't tell you how many practicing nurses I've heard say things like "no way could I pass NCLEX again now" because they have focused their attention on their specialty and let a lot of the broad, irrelevant knowledge go.
2. Consider that your state board of nursing may have time-sensitive requirements in place for activating a new license or renewing a license. For example, "in the past 2 years, have you completed an accredited nursing program or worked X number of hours as a registered nurse?"
3. Consider things that only you can answer- Will your family be financially stable if you postpone working? Are you somebody who enjoys getting out of the house and interacting with others? Have you dreamed of being a SAHM, or have you always seen yourself as someone who is more career focused?
4. Will YOU feel like your degree is wasted? Yours is the only opinion that matters here. Until my daughter was born this past spring, I was very career focused. I walked away from my career as I knew it and haven't thought twice. I'm doing my life's most important work now (...and teaching an occasional online course from home because I enjoy teaching and want to stay current). I imagine that I'll return to an on-site job once my children are in school, but until then I'm soaking up every moment of snuggling, kisses, big smiles, happy squeals, etc. There are days that I miss working because I genuinely loved my job, but I love watching my little one learn new things and grow even more. Five years from now I could always choose to focus on my career again and pick up where I left off. Five years from now my infant will be heading off to kindergarten. For me, this is the right choice. (but oh MY goodness, I wish I could take back all of the times I said "what do stay at home moms even do all day?" ... if I only knew then what I know now... ha!)
In addition to teaching, I worked a PRN job as a staff nurse throughout pregnancy, and I will tell you that it can be done but is exhausting. There were days I was almost in tears from tailbone pain. I delivered at 36 weeks, and women in physically demanding careers are more prone to deliver early (depending on the study). The beauty of nursing is there are so many avenues you can take, many of which are not as physically demanding as a hospital job.
Good luck with whatever you choose!
I just graduated college for my RN and I am waiting to take NCLEX. I am also 9 weeks pregnant.
This baby was a surprise for us and we are reevaluating a lot of things in our life right now... We are thinking about moving and having me be a stay at home mom until our kids are in school.
Would you take up an offer like that?
Would you feel like you were wasting your degree? Because most of us will agree that nursing school wasn't easy.
Also, if I decide to go back to working as a nurse, maybe at a physicians office or something other than a hospital floor in 5 years or so, will I still be hireable?
You will not be wasting a degree you will be investing in your children. I stayed home for 6 years and went back to nursing when they went to school. The best years of my life were spent at home with my kids-no regrets at all.
naptimeRN
188 Posts
I would definitely get licensed and try finding a job and working until you have the baby. Some experience is better than none and they may be willing to work with you in terms of going part time or per diem after baby. My first ever nursing job was a per diem position (which I still have). It's for a small rural hospital. It may be more difficult getting hired per diem at a larger more suburban hospital or a doctors office with little to no experience but you can always try. Congrats on the baby! I am due with my first any day now..☺ï¸