Med-Surg or Speciality-Need advice!

[stustressed]

I am getting ready to enter my last year of nursing school and I currently work as a tech on a med surg floor. I really want to go into L&D. This is the reason I wanted to go to nursing school in the first place. I have already had my OB rotation (Ive also done 2 med-surg rotations) & just feel like it is where I need to be. I have heard from many to work a year in med-surg or another general area and then try to transfer to a speciality area. The problem with this is that I've also heard that it is difficult to get a job (in our area of the country) in L&D without experience (and then nurses are getting stuck in a general area). How are you supposed to get into that area to get experience if you won't get hired without?!* I have only been working as a med-surg tech for 3 months, should I try to transfer to L&D as a tech now ? Im not sure if my supivisior will frown upon me asking fo ra transfer so soon. I really don't want to get stuck in Med-Surg. Any advice?

Thx-

[abundantjoy07, RN]

I would see if there are any open positions for a CNA first and if there are I would then persue a transfer.

When you graduate and have your license go ahead and apply to the area you want to work. You never know what might happen. If you have some background in L&D (even as a CNA) it could help your cause when you go to apply as an RN.

Good Luck!

[Tweety, BSN, RN]

Many places require a six months stay somewhere before you can transfer.

I would talk to the L&D manager to let her/him know of your interest and that you'll be making an applicaiton when you graduate. Don't go what what you've heard. Go to the source.

Good luck!

[mslema]

I'm a new grad RN wanting to go into L/D as well and heard the same thing as you- to gain med/surg exp. first. I didn't agree. If you can get into L/D right after graduation, go for it because it will be difficult later because hospitals don't offer many L/D training programs for RNs and when they do, it is really competitive.

If your school offers a senior preceptorship, try your best to be placed in L/D or Postpartum. This will give you an edge when recruiters/managers look at your app. I worked as a nursing assistant on a postpartum unit because they didn't offer any positions on L/D. You should try to transfer at the hospital where you work though because all hospitals are different. They like to see that you have some background related to the area besides OB rotation in school.

I have to agree w/ the previous post. Go directly to the source. I was contacting recruiters for months about a new grad program on L/D with no luck. They were telling me that the position may not be available anymore. I was getting tired of that so I called the nurse manager, she told me to email her my resume, and from then I received an interview. I'm still waiting. Make sure you apply for postpartum postitions as well. Those are easier to get into. It will be a little easier to transfer to L/D later on. PM me if you have any more questions. Good luck!