(Very) Pregnant New Grad Nurse

[lisa618]

I graduated in December 2015, then was hired at a small rural hospital in February 2016 for 2nd shift on a surgical/observation unit, at 7 months pregnant. (We needed the income and benefits, otherwise I probably would have waited til after baby.) Orientation for new grads at this hospital is 5-6 weeks, which I initially thought was plenty. I am now 37 weeks pregnant and have been off of orientation for a week and a half. When I am on my home unit, the patient load is totally doable and I feel more and more confident about the care that I provide thanks in large part to the great staff on my floor, who are very helpful and supportive.

However, I've also been floated to the medical unit twice, which is notorious for higher patient/staff ratios and higher acuity patients. Both times I've been floated, I have completely fallen apart! I was drowning and the staff there could not care less. I am unable to sleep after working on that floor, because as I lay in bed, I remember all of the tasks and charting that I forgot to do while I was there. On top of it all - the last time I floated, I was assigned more patients than I've ever had before, so I was completely overwhelmed, didn't get a single break, and was experiencing serious "real" contractions with nausea by the end of the night because of all the stress.

Would it look bad if I asked my manager to either be put back on orientation or let me stay on my home floor until I come back from maternity leave? She is a pretty tough nut to crack and I can't really get a read on her personality, so I'm not sure how she'll take it. I never wanted to play the "pregnancy card," but I feel like I need more help and support when I float because right now it seems unsafe for both the patients and myself for me to be put in that situation.

[Penelope_Pitstop, BSN, RN]

At my facility, new grads couldn't be pulled for six months after orientation was completed.

I have no advice for you, but I do think this is nuts!

[meanmaryjean, DNP, RN]

You only have a couple more weeks. I'd tough it out- and save asking for a major favor from a boss you haven't made brownie points with for another day.

[SmilingBluEyes]

Why not take time off NOW? Seriously I know you need money, but you need to care for yourself and the baby. A baby born even 3 weeks early can have serious medical issues such as immature lungs, that can leave him or her in the NICU or special care nursery.

You need rest, hydration and sanity. You will have this baby soon; try to take time now to pamper yourself cause once that baby is here, sleep will be very fragmented and hard to get.

And I agree that floating so soon after graduation is a recipe for trouble.

I wish you well.