Please Help - OB/GYN Nursing Questions

You don't necessarily have to do L&D or NICU if you work in OB/GYN. You'll definitely do an L&D rotation in the hospital, and some hospitals do require nurses who work in the OB/GYN department to learn all areas, in case they are short sometimes, but that's not always the case. You could work in a women's hospital, doing med/surg, or on a mother/baby unit, which is where the women and their newborns go after they have their babies. Nowadays, the nursery is really only used for high acuity situations and the babies stay in the room with the mothers and there's a nurse to take care of both of them. This sounds like what you're interested in.

Of course, don't completely close yourself off to other areas of nursing. You might not realize it now, but you'll be exposed to so many different types of nursing when you're in school, you just might find something else that you completely fall in love with! I've seen it happen. : ) For me, it's L&D all the way, (after I graduate in May) but everyone has their niche. Best wishes to you!

In larger hopsitals there are often 'mother/baby' units (postpartum) as well as antepartum, labor and delivery, and NICU. In a smaller hospital you are often expected to do it all.

I am not a OB person, but I have two friends that are. One works in a small, community hospital and had orientation in L & D, postpartum, and the nursery. She primarily works postpartum and nursery. The other girl works in a university-affiliated women's hospital and strictly worked high-risk OB (antepartum) but now works in the NICU. Investigate these jobs if you are interested. Remember cross-training is not a bad thing! It's nice to break away from the ordinary once in a while.

Many specialities will hire new nurses without any experience or qualifications other than a basic nursing education. You just have to show the willingness to learn. If you would like to get your foot in the door, I suggest working as a nursing assistant while you are in nursing school.