Not wanting to cross train

Specialties Ob/Gyn

Published

Specializes in Perinatal.

Earlier this year I posted about working l&d and finding it to not be as good of a fit as I hoped. Although it was my dream job and many aspects I enjoyed, I found myself to be really stressed out and anxious due to the position. I made the switch to MB in March at a different hospital and it's been so nice. Although I definitely have my moments that I miss L&D, I am loving the fact that I'm not constantly scared and on high alert.

The issue is that management knows I have L&D experience and they keep pushing for me to cross train. I really, really don't think I want to. I initially said I wanted to become more comfortable with the facility but I've been there almost 4 months and that excuse isn't working anymore~lol. I am a little nervous to close that door completely but I just don't feel like I want to do L&D here! I'm happy with what I'm doing. Anyone else ever put in this position when they were being pressured to cross train and not wanting to?

I may say something along the lines of "I really enjoy MB and feel as if it is a great fit! If you would like me to do some new nurse education for L&D or if you would like me to review some policies from L&D that would be my comfort zone."

Or even "The L&D experience I obtained was in an entirely different environment and culture than here. And I don't feel I would be at my best practice level by bringing that experience to this facility. I really found my niche with MB."

You could also offer to teach pre-natal classes, parenting classes.....there's lots of other ways that you can be of use to the unit if they are so hip on you cross training and floating. If they want you to float, I would float elsewhere.....women's health, peds......NICU/PICU...

Even though they are phrasing this as a request, it isn't, really. Every nursing job description I've ever seen has a line at the bottom along the lines of, "And other duties as assigned." At some point, it's going to stop being a request and become an assignment, and your continued refusal to do it (however nicely presented) will become a problem. I can understand why they would want someone who already has L&D experience to float to L&D. There are lots of things we have to do at work that we would prefer not to. Eventually, you'll have to figure out whether this is a hill you want to die on.

Specializes in NICU, PICU, PACU.

I'd check your floating policy. Where I work, you do not have to float to units you have experience on unless you want to do so. Our L/D is closed and they don't float or get floats. Just because I have experience in PICU does not mean I get pulled to float every time they need help.

Specializes in NICU.

I'm NICU and years ago my facility went to LDRP and I HAD to be cross trained. Once I was cross trained I couldn't make it back to the NICU. After 8 years of it I left. I use the L&D experience on my resume and find managers want to talk me into doing it again. I say "I don't want to do L&D anymore, NICU is my passion". If they even mentioned being pulled occasionally I don't take the job.

Specializes in L&D.

I'm in a similar position.

Was L&D for 3 years, relocated and took a PRN L&D job and did not like it! Doctors were never around and nurses worked very autonomously. Coming from a big teaching hospital with lots of support it made me so anxious!

I left and recently accepted a PRN position in mother/baby at a different hospital. I also think I will enjoy the routine compared to the high-stress of L&D.

I know eventually they want me to cross-train to L&D. I'll do it, but I'm guessing it's not a place I will be very comfortable since it is also much smaller than what I was used to.

They also have a level II NICU and am a lot more interested in cross training there, so may try to do that first. NICU is actually a goal of mine so am excited about that aspect.

I'm only PRN so even if I cross trained to L&D I may only end up there a few times a year. We'll see how it plays out...

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