Turned down job..did I do the right thing?

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Hello All,

I recently was offered a position in a nurse extern position at my #1 choice hospital. I applied for the job at the beginning of March and anticipated that the program would start around that time. However, to the process moved slower than I anticipated and I was offered the position this past Monday with a start date of 6/20. The program is 8 weeks long and they want the externs to finish around the same time. I am pregnant and expecting a baby on 6/30 and I did not believe that I would be able to complete the program adequately due this. I also graduated with my BSN this past Monday.

Since my ultimate goal is to obtain full time employment as a nurse, I turned the position down because I didn't want to have poor performance due to my inability to complete the program on time, thus ruining my opportunity to obtain actual nursing employment. I truly hope that I did the right thing. I would like to get some input from some of you all.

Thanks!

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Specializes in ORTHOPAEDICS-CERTIFIED SINCE 89.

Is this a once a year externship? With a due date of 10 days after the program starts you would do neither you, nor the program a favor. If you are like me you will be totally exhausted for at least a couple of weeks and I don't think being away from your baby at such an early age would be good.

See if the hospital is willing to keep you on a list for another extern/internship in the future.

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Seems to me you did a very logical thing. Go back to your career full time with renewed energy after the little one is here.

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I don't see that you had another choice really. Unless you wanted to have your baby and come right back to work (which I would never suggest).

Only you can know if you did the right thing. For me, when my son was born, I only wanted to spend time concentrating on him. He was the most important thing in the world to me. You can never take that time back....they will only be that small once.

Is there a way that you can call that hospital and ask if they run another program at the end of the year and if you can join that?

Good luck to you and congrats on your bundle of joy!!!

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Specializes in Med surg, LTC, Administration.
Hello All,

I recently was offered a position in a nurse extern position at my #1 choice hospital. I applied for the job at the beginning of March and anticipated that the program would start around that time. However, to the process moved slower than I anticipated and I was offered the position this past Monday with a start date of 6/20. The program is 8 weeks long and they want the externs to finish around the same time. I am pregnant and expecting a baby on 6/30 and I did not believe that I would be able to complete the program adequately due this. I also graduated with my BSN this past Monday.

Since my ultimate goal is to obtain full time employment as a nurse, I turned the position down because I didn't want to have poor performance due to my inability to complete the program on time, thus ruining my opportunity to obtain actual nursing employment. I truly hope that I did the right thing. I would like to get some input from some of you all.

Thanks!

Congrats! You will graduate then have a baby, can't get better than that! Glad you followed your heart, you can't do better than that! Peace!

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Thank you all for your prompt responses! It really helped solidify my confidence that I made the right choice that will best benefit my career. Yes, we planned to give birth right after graduation to allow time with the baby and time for a job search. I did not want to complicate my first year on the job with a pregnancy and childbirth. I wanted to do the externship for possibly the last few months of school but the start date was much later than anticipated. I have graduated :)..yeah and will next tackle the boards. I want to work as a nurse full time for this hospital and did not want to burn my bridges with the hospital by accepting a role that I know I an unequipped to complete. I emailed the hiring manager and thanked her for the opportunity and reiterated that I will pursue employment opportunities with the hospital after the birth. My ultimate goal is to maintain the professional relationship to benefit my career in the future. I feared that taking the role would violate trust between myself and the hospital because my delivery and baby would complicate the program and I had full knowledge of my due date. Thank you all so much. It is very beneficial to receive unbiased career advise and you all provided that.

Thanks!

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I am confused. Did they not know you are pregnant? Instead of turning them down outright, did you explain to them that the start date won't work out for you now, but you want to be considered for the next class?

Best wishes!!

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Specializes in none yet.

I think you did the right thing. I would suggest that when you are ready to work full time as a RN that you check with HR or nurse manager and get a job (if one is available) which doesn't require the RN license, then work as a tech or extern for a few months before you pass the RN board test. In my state after you pass the RN boards, you can't be hired as anything but a RN. Working as a non-RN for a while after the baby will help ease you into working without the full responsibility and pressure you would have as a RN.

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Yes, they definitley knew I was pregnant. However, they did not know how far along I was. The start date was firm and they were unable to be flexible. Thus I declined due to it being within 10 days of my due date

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That is a great idea. However, I hope to take the boards within the next few weeks before the baby is born. If I pass, I will probably have a license within a few weeks after the baby is born, so I think I will just go straight for the RN job. :)

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