Aspiring Midwife: What dept to work in?

[Tichel18]

What department is the best place to get hospital nursing experience before going to grad school to be a CNM?

I'm a nursing student finishing semester 4 out of 5 and starting to think about job prospects - especially because we're putting in requests for our 5th sem. preceptorships and a lot of people get jobs where they do their preceptorships.

I'm planning to work for a year or two before starting a CNM program. So - the big question - should I get a job in labor and delivery or somewhere else in the hospital?

My other choice would probably be the emergency department, but I'm open to other suggestions also.

On one hand I feel I could benefit from the extra L&D experience - on the other I feel that maybe I'd develop a more comprehensive skill set working as a nurse in a different department.

I have 5 years of birth experience working as a birth doula and midwifery assistant to a home birth midwife. Also in the equation - I loved working as a midwifery assistant, but often had trouble when I worked as a doula with everything that goes down at most hospital births, which is increasing my hesitancy to get an L&D job.....We have a good number of out of hospital positions for CNMs where I live, and also a hospital practice with a really solid birth-culture so I'm not worried about my issues with hospital birth affecting my career prospects long term.

I would love any thoughts - I've been agonizing over this decision since I started nursing school.

[klone, MSN, RN]

Definitely, L&D would benefit you the most, IMO.

[notnursezelda]

I feel like I'm in the same shoes as you, minus the midwifery. I want to work with midwives in the future, but havent felt that calling for myself yet. I would love to work in an L& D setting, but the hospitals aren't really what kind of care I wish to be part of it, its really medically influenced in its view of birth. But I feel like I should be more rounded as a nurse and assessment, before I move to an area that is more midwife friendly. I Go ER! Maybe you'll love it. Plus, many women coming in today have a slew of conditions, from HTN, DMII, heart issues, etc so really good assessment skills would come in handy.

[klone, MSN, RN]

I would love to work in an L& D setting, but the hospitals aren't really what kind of care I wish to be part of it, its really medically influenced in its view of birth.

While I totally understand why you would feel this way, this is the very reason why they need natural-minded nurses! There will always be some patients who want a natural birth, and they will need a good nurse who has faith in the process to advocate for them! Plus, it will only help you as a midwife to have experience and knowledge of how things are done in a more medically-minded facility.