what certification?

[nocturnalnurse]

I work L&D, Normal newborn, Special care newborn (down to 34wks with short term CPAP), and Postpartum....our hospital is pushing (and paying) for us to get a specialty certification. (I do hold C-EFM already). Which specialty certification exam should I take? why (rationale)?

thanks for your answers in advance!

[klone, MSN, RN]

I would get RNC-OB certification. Rationale, because it's a very well-respected certification.

[llg, PhD, RN]

Where do you see your career headed long term? If it is teaching, then I would definitely recommend OB. Schools don't hire newborn instructors. That area is covered either by the OB or Peds faculty. Also, outpatient OB extists -- and you might want to get a job in a maternity clinic or OB/GYN office some day. The same can't be said of specialists in newborn nursing.

Where is your true love? I'd go with that unless there is a practical reason for choosing something else (such as the faculty or clinic things above).

[nocturnalnurse]

I work L&D, Normal newborn, Special care newborn (down to 34wks with short term CPAP), and Postpartum....our hospital is pushing (and paying) for us to get a specialty certification. (I do hold C-EFM already). Which specialty certification exam should I take? why (rationale)?

thanks for your answers in advance!

I like both L&D and special care nursery equally...wouldn't the maternal-newborn certification be a more well-rounded certification for a nurse that does L&D, PP, normal newborn, and special-care nursery? or is the inpatient OB certification just that more well respected that it is worth somewhat "skipping" the newborn side of certification? I work in both areas about the same amount of hours as well. Just don't want to take the "wrong" one and then regret it later!

[klone, MSN, RN]

IME, inpatient OB is a more challenging certification.