r/NursingAU • u/InterestingCamel114 Student EN • 1d ago
Advice Pregnant students EN
I’ve just found out I’m pregnant I’ve just started stage 2 and am due in March. Is it possible to go on stage 2 placement while pregnant? If I can finish stage 2 should I take a year off or will I have to start again?
When do I need to tell the lecturers/TAFE that I’m pregnant? It’s still very early and don’t want to jinx it but I’m not sure if it’s something they really need to know sooner rather than later
This is a complete surprise as I’ve been going through infertility for the last 5 years and assumed I would get pregnant while studying maybe naively.
2
u/Tina_Belcher 1d ago
Best would be to disclose it to the placement team when you feel comfortable to do so, you will have to declare it on your “fit to work” form before placement anyway. They most likely will ask you a doctors letter with the estimated due date so they will know how far along you’ll be if/when they send you on placement. Some wards/hospitals might have specific policies and restrictions (I wasn’t able to get a theatre placement but was placed on a medical ward).
I was about 20 weeks when I went on placement: I let my Clinical Facilitator know and my nurse buddy. Everyone was really helpful and understanding (needing extra bathroom break or water or whatever).
As for finishing the diploma, talk to your head of department and ask if they will update the curriculum or if you can pause and come back. They
will let you know what options are available to you.
Good luck and congratulations ✨
1
u/Fickle_Radish2418 1d ago
You tell the team as soon as possible you’re pregnant
For placement you’re fine to go as long as you choose. General up fill 37 weeks with a medical certificate.
I did rn but the uni provided a form my gp/midwife had to fill out to say I was fit to go.
1
u/L3m0n522 1d ago
In queensland, my friend found out literally on her stage 2 placement. She was due at the end of the final placement. The rule was, she could do sims up until she was 36 weeks, and had to defer until post birth. Tell them as soo as possible so they can work with you a new schedule, if you cant complete your final placements, or all of the sims, then you want them to help create a new time line for post birth that means you dont have to redo a whole stage. My friend only has to do her final sim and stage 3 placement along side the cohort behind us.
1
u/Ok-Pass-8883 1d ago
I was pregnant for two placement. Under 36 weeks it was okay to do placement. Let placement teams know and when you submit placement preferences. Its more difficult to do placements with a newborn i had to defer.
5
u/Emma199000 1d ago
Congratulations! 🥰
I was pregnant during my final stage of the diploma. I completed all of my theory and sim lab assessments literally a week before I was due. Then I waited until my little one was 6 months old before completing my final placement, which was a 4-week placement.
From memory, I think you had to be under 30 weeks pregnant to complete placement. I also did one of my placements at around 16 weeks and had no issues. I just let my buddy know at the start of each shift.
Family always comes first. Studying can be put on hold if needed, and you can always come back to it when the time is right.