is it possible- L&D to med/surg?

Nurses General Nursing

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Here is my dilemma. I have just graduated and will sit for boards in a few weeks. The hiring market in my area is TERRIBLE! Hospitals are on hiring freezes and it's just a rough time out there for new grad nurses. Anyway, a very good family friend is a long-time and well respected OB doc at a large hospital in my city. He asked me if I wanted to do L&D because he said he could "almost definitely" get me a position as an OB nurse. My problem is, I have never seen myself doing L&D. I found it enjoyable during clinicals but I just don't think it's for me overall. So do you think it's wise for me to take a position for now, and try to transfer to a med/surg or other adult unit later on? I know that labor and delivery is a very specialized field and I'm worried I'll be "stuck" there. What would you do?

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I graduated last year and was in the same position you are. Take ANYTHING you can get. Worry about what you want later down the road. I know nurses who graduated a year ago and still have nothing. It is a really sad thing that we did all that work and can't get what we want, but until the job market changes we are in desperate times. Yes, it will make it harder to get another job because you will back yourself into a corner.... I HAD to take a job in a specialty field. I will be very honest; I don't love it. I am just getting any experiece I can until a job comes around that I want.

You have a golden opportunity. Take it to use your skills and gain some income.

Good luck on the NCLEX and congrats on becoming a nurse!!!

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What '09 said!!!!

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Applying to an oncology floor (which I swore I'd NEVER do) and taking it as my first job is how I found something I love.

Your first nursing job is just that - your first nursing job, not a career kicker. And who knows - it might end up being where you want to be anyway.

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Specializes in M/S, MICU, CVICU, SICU, ER, Trauma, NICU.

I'm done many specialties, and I would love the opportunity to do L & D. I say GO FOR IT!!!!

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Everyone agrees, take L&D. I had so many misconceptions about L&D as a nursing student. You might find you love it, or it will be your doorway to whatever type of nursing you want.

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Specializes in NICU & OB/GYN.

Well, I am not officially a nurse yet but I thought I would put in my two cents since I have contemplated this same scenario. My gf is an OB nurse and she said that she too was worried at first about this. On the contrary, in a typical day she'll deal with triaging, lots of assessments, sudden emerg c-sec turning you into an OR nurse (and then there's the post-surgical teaching etc). She explained that even though you're not using the exact skill set taught for med-surg, in a round about way you are using alot of these skills but just in a more impromptu way.

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Specializes in Med/Surg.

I only wish I were in your predicament. I've been a nurse since June of '09 but only practicing for five months. I work med/surg and I HATE my job. I would cut off my right arm to work in OB. Seriously. I've wanted to be a midwife since I was 15. I read everything OB I can get my hands on and I watch birthing videos for fun. Sorry, I'm just venting and not being of any help. But I agree, take what you can get. That's what I did.

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Take the job. I work in a closed unit l&d which means we dont do post partum or baby stuff. strictly antepartum and labor and deliver. unless of course they are sick---pressure or whatever issues after delivery, then we keep them pp. I LOVE what i do. in this economy you prob need to take what you can get. unfortunately, I have been looking for a prn job doing something else and have found that i am in that "box". no one wants to hire me except for l&d or ob. I would like to expand my skills. i agree with previous poster that i do use med-serg skills and or and psych. but they want experience to hire me. oh well. i have a job that i love and am very grateful. just my .02

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Specializes in Clinical, Geriatric, Med/Surg,.

I say go for it. This is your opportunity to learn in a specialty field. You won't lose your skills in M/S. Think of it this way, you will have skills that some M/S nurses will never be able use. They may say they learned it in school but never be able to perfect. M/S nursing is the fundamentals...I am sure you will be able to apply that in LnD nursing as well. Good luck on your board exam. Luke the others have replied, you won't know until you try!

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Thanks for all your opinions. I know I really should take whatever I can get in this crappy economy, but I just needed to hear that I won't be stuck as an OB nurse the rest of my life (unless I decide that's what I want!). I'm pretty sure I'll just go for it, and hope I love it.

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