How hard is it to transfer into L&D from other specialties?

[newgradrn22]

Hi,

This question is for all the practicing OB nurses out there!

I am currently in the process of applying to New Grad Labor and Deliver positions, literally ALL OVER the country. I am finding that its extremely hard to even get an interview.

L&D is my heart and soul. Its what I want to do and the reason I became a nurse!

I was wondering if you could tell me how hard it was to transfer into OB down the road from other nursing specialties??

Are there certain specialties over others that make it easier to transfer into OB positions?

I am afraid I am going to have to start out somewhere else. I would hate to go through my entire life and never be able to fulfill my dream!

Any advice would be much appreciated! Thank you!!!

[Sherrie49]

I am a labor & delivery nurse with over 30 years experience, and used to be assistant manager of my unit. Here are a few pathways to becoming a L&D nurse that seem to work well in our area.

1) Experience in another acute care setting in the hospital, such as med-surg, ER, ICU. Nurses with experience in ER units really seem to "get" L&D, with it's "never know what's going to happen next" vibe. In Utah where I live, it seems easier in general to get a job right out of school in ER, since they may have a type of internship for new grads.

2) Preceptorship while still in school in L&D. We have often hired our students after they interned for 200+ hours for free as part of their schooling. We already know them, their work ethic and ability to handle the job by then!

3) Get to know the L&D nurses and manager as much as you can while you are applying. Explain your passion! I was often favorably impressed with people who were persistent, pleasant, and excited about the job.

Hope this helps-good luck!

[melmarie23, MSN, RN]

for me as a new grad, it was having a job in another speciality (for me it was med/surge) that got me noticed and called into interview for L&D. I was only working med/surg for 4 months before I was hired into L&D/post partum (I continued to work both for a bit but now do LDRP exclusively). So in my case it was easier for me to get into L&D after a little bit of experience elsewhere.