When to tell boss I'm pregnant??

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Specializes in OB.

I just started my very first OB nursing job on Dec 4th. And wouldn't you know it, I got pregnant a few weeks later. I'm wondering when the best time is to tell my boss. I have no idea how this is going to go over with everyone. I work nights, but will be going to days the 1st of February for 3 months to train in L&D. I was hoping to keep it a secret until I'm at least 8 weeks, does that seem unreasonable??

Any advice is appreciated.

Carrie

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I think 8 weeks is reasonable. Heck I rember the days when you couldn't confirm a pregnancy until way late in the first trimester.

But I wouldn't wait too much longer past the 8 weeks just as a courtesy. And if there should be a patient with a condition you should not be exposed to, your manager and co-workers should know.

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Specializes in Neuro/Med-Surg/Oncology.

Just make sure your boss hears it from you and not the rumor mill. This means your boss should be the first to know at work. I think I started letting people know @ 4-5 weeks once I went to the Midwife Center. I had to let one or two people know before because some of the pt's were receiving chemo and I couldn't draw their blood. I had to have someone switch pt's with me when we had to do labs in the am.

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Sorry, I disagree. I think your boss, your immediate superior, should know asap. You can ask her to keep it quiet until you're ready to share it, but if you don't say anything and, God forbid, something happens on the job that you lose the pregnancy, they're not gonna be real happy with you.

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I think I would first talk to HR. After all that is where you apply for maternity leave. Let HR tell your supervisor. Neither your manager nor HR should tell anyone else. It is nobody else's business.

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Specializes in Neuro/Med-Surg/Oncology.
Sorry, I disagree. I think your boss, your immediate superior, should know asap. You can ask her to keep it quiet until you're ready to share it, but if you don't say anything and, God forbid, something happens on the job that you lose the pregnancy, they're not gonna be real happy with you.

She should wait until it's been confirmed by her OB or Midwife to tell her boss or anyone else for that matter. I can't see telling my boss everytime I'm a few days late. If they're requesting for her to do something that may put her yet-to-be born child in harms way, that's another story. Tell them that she thinks she "might" be pregnant and hasn't gone to the doctors yet in that case. It's her responsibility to keep herself and her baby out of harm's way, not her manager's.

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Specializes in Nursing Ed, Ob/GYN, AD, LTC, Rehab.

I would refer to your employee hand book, im sure theres some good info in there. I would tell when you are ready to let people know and you are comfortable that this pregnancy will make it ect. I also agree its your responsibility not your jobs to keep your baby safe. Congrats!

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Sorry, I was assuming from the OP that the pregnancy had been confirmed. Did I misunderstand?

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Specializes in Neuro/Med-Surg/Oncology.

I'm not sure now that you mention it. If it has been comfirmed, her manager should know as soon as possible. I'm sure he/she would appreciate the extra heads-up re: planning staffing while she's on leave. The manager may need to bring in a traveller for a 12 week assignment during that time and sometimes it can take awhile for those things to be approved. It's also just respectful to your manager to giver the courtesy of not hearing something so important through the grapevine.

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Specializes in OB.

Well I haven't had my first appt. yet, I'm only 5 weeks along. But anyway, I would never tell my co-workers before I told my boss, that just doesnt seem right. We are a small unit so it will get around very quickly LOL. Anyway, I think I'll only get 6 weeks of leave which stinks...So they should be able to work that out. We are short staffed on nights though so this will not be a thrill to my fellow night workers I'm sure...

Carrie

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Specializes in Neuro/Med-Surg/Oncology.

I would wait until you get confirmation before telling your boss and just be careful of yourself and your baby. If you find yourself having to bring it up more than once or twice, I would just suck it up and tell your manager. That way she doesn't have to hear it second or third-hand. Your night workers will be ok. That's what the manager gets paid for, to work things like that out. She has almost eight months to hire for the gaps that are there already before you go on leave. Good luck!!!

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Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.

I think you owe it to your boss to tell her as soon as you can. That way if anything comes up, or you become ill or something she knows what is going on.

Your coworkers will have to deal with it, these things happen. Nightshift is often short-staffed many places, so at least, like you said, they have time to plan ahead and work out what will happen while you are on leave.

Meantime, you need to take care of yourself and take it easy as you can. But DO tell your boss as soon as you confirm the pregnancy as hearing it second hand will not be something she will appreciate, nor would YOU.

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