At the beginning of a long journey and super excited!

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I'm so happy to find this site..the past few weeks I've been glued to it, all hours of the day. I'm 27, a married mom of two little girls ( 2 and 4 months), and for the past 5 years I've worked in the inpatient pharmacy at a hospital. I started becoming a birth junkie with our first, and have had a wonderful CNM for both. I've decided to go back to school, and of course since I was going the English route, had virtually none of my pre req's. So I'm back in the local community college taking those and working. I want to do L&D, but my real desire is to get my masters and be a CNM/WHNP. A few questions:

1. Am I making the right move in attempting to get a tech job up on MBU? I'm taking my CNA cert in March and have been in ( email) contact with the nurse manager. I'm having PharmD's I know, my boss, other connections recommend me. They offered and I'll certainly take the help! I was thinking of popping in and introducing myself to the nurse manager next time I'm up there taking meds/c-section irrigations, piggybacks, etc. I won't be licensed until May, but I'm SO ready to be up there. I have 5 years experience making iv meds, chemo, entering orders from the floor, familiar with the lingo,drugs,etc..so I'm hoping that will be an asset.

2. If I do get a job up there as a tech, would volunteering to be cross trained with postpartum, labor, OR be a good idea? My hospital is building a new wing and MBU will be in it..patients will stay in one room for labor/delivery/post partum except for a section,obviously. So I don't know how techs will work in that environment..anyone work in a hospital with this? What do your techs do?

I'm really hoping working up there will get my foot in the door so when I'm done with nursing school, maybe I'll have a job?

3. If I decide to go the CNM/WHNP route, do you recommend working L&D first? My gut feeling is that actually working as an L&D nurse will give you lots of exposure, both with volume and seeing potential complications in real life. I've also considered asking my CNM if I could shadow her, or if as I get further in school, if I could do an internship with her or something along those lines. Have any of you do something similar? A pharmacist I know offered to get me some shadowing with her friend, who is a WHNP. I think that would be awesome as well.

I also saw someone mention being trained as a Doula..I had a doula with baby #2 and loved her. Would pursuing a DONA class be a good idea at some point?

Sorry for so many questions, I just feel like my mind is racing with all of the possibilities. I'm nervous, because I'm going to be way older than my fellow students, and am late getting into the game. Anything I could do to make my nursing school app look better would be appreciated. Its weird, I've been in healthcare for 5 years but everything seems new again.

Thanks in advance for any advice!

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Specializes in Med Tele, Gen Surgical.

KJenkins55....I don't have much commentary on the pathway to MBU and your further plans, but your last paragraph intrigued me. Let me tell ya...bein' a little bit older has SO MANY BENEFITS in nursing school. Whereas so many of your younger colleagues will spend valuable energy raging against a machine and modality that is eons older that both you and they combined, you have the wisdom of being older, having responsibilities beyond yourself, and a bit more clarity about what you wish to accomplish. You will choose where to spend your energy wisely. They want it in triplicate...do the work in triplicate. They want it on purple polka dot paper....your work is done on purple polka dot paper. They want you to create care plans with detail to the nth degree...you will do just that. Only rather than spend time complaining about the level of detail, you will find resources, people, and help to get you working smarter and not harder. But be careful, because the drama can become appealing, and sometimes mothering natures can make you want to rescue others.....I'm just saying always think about where your energy goes. My mantra throughout school was "school, family, church" (not necessarily always that order, flexibility is a requirement). If what I found myself doing did not DIRECTLY benefit any of those, I got out of the situation. So here's my parting advice. Get yourself a script to be able to get out of those things that do not support your goals. You only have so much time and energy. I would often say, "Wow, that is really frustrating. I wish you a lot of luck getting that figured out and solved. I know you will, because you are smart. Now I have to go do X. See you soon!"

AND good luck to you. The ride is wonderful if you can see it for what it is! Enjoy and grow.....

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Specializes in Med Tele, Gen Surgical.

Oh, and btw, 27ish is not old anymore in nursing school. You'll probably be middle of the pack believe it or not! I was on the right side of that bell curve....quite a bit more to the right!

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Thank you for your kind reply :) I'm just nervous..but at the same time, so excited I can't stand it. I spent several years in college, just kind of dinking around because I couldn't figure out what my real passion was. I just kind of floated. Then got married, yada yada...became super interested in birth, and then with my baby in July, it hit me. It all clicked and feels completely right. Not to mention, my husband was laid off 2 weeks before the baby was born this summer ..funnn times. Made me realize I needed to find something solid and reliable. Hospital pharmacy is interesting but I'm not going to Pharmacy school so its dead end.

Funny enough, my MIL has a DNP, is a FNP and teaches both undergrad and graduate nursing. She was every kind of nurse imaginable over the years, and she didn't get her BSN until she was 35. She was the first in this area to be an APN. She's completely stoked and supportive so that helps. Just have to remember that when I'm sitting next to 21 year old skinny blondes..lol.

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Specializes in Peds Medical Floor.

Actually I was 27 in nursing school and I was on the younger side.

Just wanted to let you know as far as I know (and I've done some research...eventually I'd also like to be a CNM/WHNP) you need at the bare minimum a year or 2 in L&D. Usually new grads aren't hired right into L&D either. I'm working as a subacute/rehab/vent unit nurse now, putting my dues in until I get into L&D!

Good luck!

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Specializes in Acute Care, Rehab, Palliative.

Oh my. You think 27 is old. Just shoot me now. I was 38 when I started nursing school.

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I'm not trying to say 27 is 'old', it just seems like all of the nursing students I see look about 20. Part of it might be living in a multiple university town. Most everyone I know went to school right away and has had their bachelors for years.

DizzyLizzy- I've been looking into the CNM/WHNP program at UIC in Peoria, IL because its only about 30 minutes away. Also where my MIL and my MW went. Last I checked they said they want at least a year of nursing experience before you enter the program. Makes sense to me. A lady I know just graduated from nursing school and is a new hire on L&D at another hospital in our town so that gives me hope. Also why I'm trying like heck to get a tech job on MBU, so I can spend a few years getting to know the work flow, and all of the staff so hopefully when I graduate they'll have a spot for me. Don't know if it will work but its worth a try I think.

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How exciting!!! Girl I'm starting my pre-reqs in January, and I thought I was too old and I'm 22. Age is not an issue at all. Your plans to continue your education is awesome. I myself want to have my MSN. Again congrats and have fun ;)

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Tele, Peds, LDRP.

Love your post and I can relate in a lot of ways. First, I was an LPN and I was 27 when I went back for my RN. It was a bridge program so most were 2nd career (Respiratory Therapists, LPNs and Paramedics), therefore I was actually the 2nd youngest person in my class. Second, I also fell in love with all things birth when my son was born with a nurse midwife and aspire to become one after getting some experience. I just started working on an LDRP unit, which has been my dream since my first OB clinicals in school. Thirdly, my husband got laid off very shortly after our son was born so I can relate to that as well ;0)

Speaking of bridge, you should do some research and add that to your list of options. Many L&D units use LPNs for couplet (mom/baby) care and also as scrub techs for c-sections. If you became an LPN you may be able to gain nursing experience on L&D. Then again, hospitals dont pay LPNs much more than their techs, so you may be better off becoming a CNA/Tech (whatever they call them in your region) or even getting on as a unit secretary or the person who does newborn hearing screenings (no credentials needed)...the key being, like you said, getting your foot in the door so that if they like you they will hire you when you finish nursing school.

Best of luck on your journey! Keep us posted! :)

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