How many went from new grad to L&D?

Specialties Ob/Gyn

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I was emailing a exp'd L&D nurse. I was relaying my love of L&D. When I was in nursing school, my instructors (all of them) said go to med/surg for at least a year, and then specialize in what area you want. I put 2.5 mons into med/surg., and I couldn't put one more day into it. I hate med/surg (I hated it during clinicals as well). Another thing that happened that scared me was a lot of nurses in other specilites would ask what area of nsg was I going into when I graduated, and I would say L&D. They all had nothing but negative comments as to why I shouldn't go into this area. In my head, I wrote it off as just an area that they didn't appreciate, but the one thought that I couldn't erase from my mind was the volume of nurses that was telling me this; however, I'm thick-headed, so I tried to get into L&D when I graduated, but no one would hire me due to lack of exp. I'm soon moving to WA where I'm going to try once again for L&D. My question is did any of you L&D nurses go into L&D right out of school. Also please tell me that L&D is as great a job as I think it is in my mind.

Hi , I was not hired to L and D after graduation, I was rec. to have med-surg exp. So I took a job in the Neurosurgery Dept. and it turned out I liked it a lot, what I discovered (once I switched to L and D ) was that it had been good experience working with people under moderate amounts of stress, not the craziness of Labor. As a new grad. I needed to get my feet wet that way. After working there for 4 years, I made the change to OB and have been there for 18 years and have loved every minute of it. The one thing I would add is that I work in a very big teaching hosp with a level 3 nicu, we do pediatric surgery so get lots of transports. Having neuro. exp has been valuable for me because we get a fair number of sick moms whose problems are varied and the neuro. exp has come in handy. I hope you have found the position you love and that loves you back!!! I think OB takes a lot of stamina. I always try to remember, that this is a day of work for me , but for the families I take care of, it is a day that they will never forget, and I am part of it!! good luck!

I was emailing a exp'd L&D nurse. I was relaying my love of L&D. When I was in nursing school, my instructors (all of them) said go to med/surg for at least a year, and then specialize in what area you want. I put 2.5 mons into med/surg., and I couldn't put one more day into it. I hate med/surg (I hated it during clinicals as well). Another thing that happened that scared me was a lot of nurses in other specilites would ask what area of nsg was I going into when I graduated, and I would say L&D. They all had nothing but negative comments as to why I shouldn't go into this area. In my head, I wrote it off as just an area that they didn't appreciate, but the one thought that I couldn't erase from my mind was the volume of nurses that was telling me this; however, I'm thick-headed, so I tried to get into L&D when I graduated, but no one would hire me due to lack of exp. I'm soon moving to WA where I'm going to try once again for L&D. My question is did any of you L&D nurses go into L&D right out of school. Also please tell me that L&D is as great a job as I think it is in my mind.
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Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.

Welcome to all nurses and the OB/GYN/Midwifery forum, Newbaby!!!!

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Hi , I'm glad i found this site, I am a student for the third time, working on the ole' BSN. I think I have about another 18 mos to go. We are having some lively debate about the shortage of nurses. What is needed is a fabulous show about nurses... I always have lots of great stories and can get the party laughing or crying with any number of real life stories from my unit. I would love to see a realistic show about the craziness on L and D. bye for now, newbaby

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I was emailing a exp'd L&D nurse. I was relaying my love of L&D. When I was in nursing school, my instructors (all of them) said go to med/surg for at least a year, and then specialize in what area you want. I put 2.5 mons into med/surg., and I couldn't put one more day into it. I hate med/surg (I hated it during clinicals as well). Another thing that happened that scared me was a lot of nurses in other specilites would ask what area of nsg was I going into when I graduated, and I would say L&D. They all had nothing but negative comments as to why I shouldn't go into this area. In my head, I wrote it off as just an area that they didn't appreciate, but the one thought that I couldn't erase from my mind was the volume of nurses that was telling me this; however, I'm thick-headed, so I tried to get into L&D when I graduated, but no one would hire me due to lack of exp. I'm soon moving to WA where I'm going to try once again for L&D. My question is did any of you L&D nurses go into L&D right out of school. Also please tell me that L&D is as great a job as I think it is in my mind.

First of all... do not let anyone discourage you if this is what you want to do. Remember they teach you in school all of the basic principals of the nursing process that you need to use and if all else fails....to LOOK IT UP. I went to a high risk LDRP maternal-infant division at a large teaching hospital right out of school and do not regret a bit of it. Make sure you have a good orientation program and make the best of it. My hat is off to those who do med-surg and do it well! I consider them to be the real critical care nurses. If you hated it in school you will burn out quickly on a med-surg unit. Best of Luck to you!! The babies are wonderful!!

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I firmly believe that most OB nurses are "born"...that we know from the first that we love it and will always find a place to work that allows us that expression of love.

I agree with this. I had even been a childbirth educator for over 10 years before I became an RN so it seemed more than natural for me to become an L&D nurse. However, the hospital I taught at, and wanted to work at after graduation, was in a hiring freeze. So, I worked about 9 months on a sub-acute unit at a LTCF, then I was hired by my former manager at the hospital (who had wanted to hire me right out of school to L&D) as a Case Manager for Home Care. I didn't like that job so after a while, when the hospital started hiring again I applied. But the new manager (who also knew me well) was a believer in the one year on med-surg rule.

SO, off to med-surg I went. I did the best I could but my heart wasn't in it. My med-surg manager knew that my ultimate goal was to work on L&D. I did my best to show that I had learned a lot about med-surg and before the year was up my Med-Surg manager called the OB manager and said "What are you waiting for, this woman is a good nurse, has strong skills and you should be hiring her." So, I got the call and haven't left OB since. As you say it IS my calling, it is what I love and what I do best.

ALthough I can't say I derived no benefit from my time in med-surg I can't say it has helped me tremendously in OB either.

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Specializes in OB-Gyn/Primary Care/Ambulatory Leadership.
L&D is WONDERFUL!! I would be hard pressed to leave it. Do I think it is right for a new grad? No, I do not. It is a stressful, critical care area where you are taking care of two people, one you can see and talk to and one you cannot! I would go for a mother/baby position first to get your feet wet. Then move on up! Good luck!

Many hospitals do not have a separate postpartum position. It's all OB - L&D and postpartum care.

I'm glad to hear so many nurses believe that some are just "called" to work in OB. I hope to go right into OB after graduation. Our hospital requires one year of OB experience, but I hope to gain that through the externship (cross my fingers that I get the OB externship position).

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

our hospital is a case in point. we are an LDRP unit, so people labor/deliver/recover and spend their postpartum course in one private suite. I like doing LDRP. Never boring.

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Many hospitals do not have a separate postpartum position. It's all OB - L&D and postpartum care.

I'm glad to hear so many nurses believe that some are just "called" to work in OB. I hope to go right into OB after graduation. Our hospital requires one year of OB experience, but I hope to gain that through the externship (cross my fingers that I get the OB externship position).

That is true but they usually will allow you to spend a decent amounot of time (like a year or more) just getting comfortable on Mother/Baby and you can pick up a lot about L&D and the nursery while you are doing so.

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Specializes in Obstetrics/Case Management/MIS/Quality.

When I graduated in 1998, I was lucky enough to work OB right out of school.....I knew that was what I wanted before I ever entered nursing school! :p

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Specializes in CV Surgery Step-down.

Many years ago in middle school, we had this thing where you didn't mention the name of the boy you liked for fear that your dream of dating him wouldn't come true. The same thing now when someone asks "where do you want to work when you graduate?". I always skirt around the words "L&D" because I don't want to get my hopes up only to get crushed by those who say "you HAVE to work Med/Surg first". I start my L&D clinicals this summer and the anticipation is killing me! I've been waiting 5 years for this and I hope I'm not going to be disappointed!

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I went to L& D straight out of an ADN program worked midnights for 6 years. Loved but realized there was something else I was supposed to do. Went on to anesthesia school and doctoral work but still enjoy doing a delivery now and then!! You just never know where the road of life is going to lead :)

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The L&D manager who hired me before I even graduated told me later that the only reason that she hired me was because of my enthusiasm. She knew that I knew absolutely nothing, but she realized that this was my calling. 3 years later, I am still thrilled to be here! Stick with it. Med Surg is definitely a help, but L&D can be done without it!

I was emailing a exp'd L&D nurse. I was relaying my love of L&D. When I was in nursing school, my instructors (all of them) said go to med/surg for at least a year, and then specialize in what area you want. I put 2.5 mons into med/surg., and I couldn't put one more day into it. I hate med/surg (I hated it during clinicals as well). Another thing that happened that scared me was a lot of nurses in other specilites would ask what area of nsg was I going into when I graduated, and I would say L&D. They all had nothing but negative comments as to why I shouldn't go into this area. In my head, I wrote it off as just an area that they didn't appreciate, but the one thought that I couldn't erase from my mind was the volume of nurses that was telling me this; however, I'm thick-headed, so I tried to get into L&D when I graduated, but no one would hire me due to lack of exp. I'm soon moving to WA where I'm going to try once again for L&D. My question is did any of you L&D nurses go into L&D right out of school. Also please tell me that L&D is as great a job as I think it is in my mind.
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