Advice Needed for Labor/Delivery

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Hi everyone,

I am new to this forum and looking for a few answers to some questions I have. I am currently a student entering my last year of nursing school. I am interested in becoming a labor and delivery or mother/baby nurse when I graduate next May. I will also be starting my L&D clinical rotation next semester.

Is there anything I can/should do to make sure I have the best experience possible next semester? I really want to learn as much as I can and apply it to the clinical situation. Also, are there any certifications that I can obtain now while I'm in school that will help me get that first labor and delivery internship I've always wanted?

Any tips or information you can give is greatly appreciated.

Thanks to all that reply! ;)

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Can anybody answer? Your help and input is greatly apperciated! :idea:

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Specializes in nursery, L and D.

If you can take a NRP course, a PALS course, and maybe ACLS that would give you a "leg-up" to get into L and D, I would think. Don't know if students can take those classes, maybe someone here does?

Also, a fetal monitoring class would help, if you could do that.

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Specializes in OB.

I also knew that I wanted to work L&D when I got out of school so I went and got a job as an OB tech/ PCT on the Women's Health floor and got so much valuable experience.... and a foot in the door. Long story short, another local hospital offered a great mentorship program to new grads so I went to the director and introduced myself about 4 months before I graduated and got an interview and got a JOB!!! I told her that I really wanted to work in labor and delivery but respected the fact that I might need to start somewhere else and that was fine, as long as I was pointed in the direction of my goal of L&D. I graduated in May, passed my boards in June and my first day on the floor is Friday as a labor and delivery RN.

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Thanks crissrn27 and purpsurfer for the advice, I will look into your suggestions.

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I worked as a NAP (nurse apprentice program) in l&d my 3rd semester. I learned basic but essential info. Examples being setting up delivery tables, straight cathing pts after delivery, etc. When I applied at a different hospital closer to home once I graduated I applied for a med surg floor. I just figured no one would hire an RN w/o med surg exp. The nursing recruiter intercepted my resume with the NAP in l&d exp and sent it to the director of woman's services. I was hired as new grad in l&d. They sent me to a 8wk l&d course. I then precepted for a few months on the floor.

Here I am a few yrs later, still working l&d on day shift to boot!

LF

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

Sorry I was on vacation when you posted your question. I see you received excellent advice. I agree with the above suggestions. I also want to add, networking is critical. Tell everyone you know, meet and work with you want to be an OB nurse. Also ask others to keep an "ear to the ground" for opportunities for you. I did this and 2 months before I graduated, the OB nurse manager at the hospital that hosted my clinical rotations called me up, asking if I were interested in a job in her unit. I could not believe it----but then word got to her how much I wanted to work there, and my instructors put in good words for me when she asked them about me.

SO YES it can and does happen for new graduates----you certainly CAN realize your dream to be an L/D nurse, if you really want to. I wish you all the best. Let us know what happens, ok?

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Thanks for all of the advice!!

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If you have an OR in your OB unit, look into how surgery will affect your practice. Get to know that piece of the puzzle, it will be a real "pearl" to have.

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