Constantly rejected from OB...

Published

Specializes in Obstetrics & Gynecology,Medical/Surgical.

Hello everyone,

I'm sure this is a tired topic and I did a bit of searching but didn't find much. So here's my story. I now have 2 years of medical/surgical experience with some PCU. My interest has always been with OB, but I listened to my nursing school instructors and pursued med/surg after nursing school (I was told to get that background first and then I'd easily get in to OB anywhere). The latter could not be more false! I am and have been continuously rejected from any OB-related jobs for the past year - mother/baby, NICU, and L&D. The reason is always that they want current experience.

I don't know how much of this may be due to the poor economy, but I am so frustrated! How am I supposed to get experience if no one will give me a chance?

I have even applied for nurse entry positions (i.e. graduate nurse) for mother/baby, but have not heard from that position and I expect I will be rejected for that, too. It seems all I can get is med/surg positions, and to be honest, I was horribly miserable for two years doing that.

Does anyone have any advice as to what more I could do to try to get my foot in the door??

TIA!!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Clinical, Geriatric, Med/Surg,.

We have that same situation at my hospital. Our hospital is a small community hospital and we only require 2 RNs in the OB Dept at all times. They take care of L&D, Nursery, and PP. Our main problem in hiring is that they are always looking for experienced nurses because we don't have enough "seasoned" nurses to buddy-up with the new hires. I do agree with you though, how can you learn if noone will hire you to teach you. All I can say is hang in there. Have you thought about looking outside of your hospital?

Up Vote Up Vote ×
We have that same situation at my hospital. Our hospital is a small community hospital and we only require 2 RNs in the OB Dept at all times. They take care of L&D, Nursery, and PP. Our main problem in hiring is that they are always looking for experienced nurses because we don't have enough "seasoned" nurses to buddy-up with the new hires. I do agree with you though, how can you learn if noone will hire you to teach you. All I can say is hang in there. Have you thought about looking outside of your hospital?

wow...how many bed is the dept? deliveries/month?

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I have been to told to pad up my resume. I have joined AWHONN and CAPPA and will be sitting to become an IBCLC July '11. I am taking courses to become a lactation educator, and child birth educator before I even hit my 3rd semester in school. I am currently a La Leche League Leader, so hopefully it will all help get me on the floor. I don't mind being on a med/surg for a year, but I would much prefer getting to a post/part/l&d whatever unit asap. Maybe you can look into things like that? Maybe a doula course? Good luck!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Clinical, Geriatric, Med/Surg,.

There are 2 labor rooms and 3 PP rooms. There have been times where we have about 30 or more deliveries in a month, and sometimes its very low. When the unit gets "busy" they will sometimes use the nursery as a delivery room or even overflow into the isolation units on the med/surg floor. I guess for our hospital that would be what you call "busy". We are somewhat equipped to do complicated deliveries, if there is fetal distress, the staff have been trained with the NRP course, just to stabilize the baby long enough for the the transpost team to fly over to bring them to the appropriate facility, either the larger hospital on the island which is an hour away, or to the the larger facililty which is on a completely separate island.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Obstetrics & Gynecology,Medical/Surgical.

I have applied at 6 of the hospitals in my city ; there are 3 teaching hospitals (one of them having the nurse entry position I applied for) but I've had no luck at any of those. The hospitals range from 200-1000 beds overall; not sure how many beds for those particular units but the teaching hospitals are quite large overall. I know that the smaller hospitals are less likely to hire in OB without experience, but once in a while they do.

I got NRP a year ago. I've considering looking into becoming a doula as well, but don't know how much that will help since it is not really hands-on with the medical aspect of L&D. I've even contacted a couple of local birthing centers to inquire about volunteering but they don't even have those.

I'm so discouraged!!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Critical care/trauma.

I'm sure you are frustrated. The economy is the blame for most facilities wanting experience. Imagine my frustration I can't get a job@all! Most employers want experience in any area. I'm a new grad(Dec09), no luck with a job! All we can do is be patient and keep applying.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in rehab.

I hear you. I have always wanted to do ER. Just like you, Iwas advised to do med surg type stuff for a year. Acute rehab was the only position open at the time, took it, (again as advised) -that it is a nice slow learning environment, excellent for a new grad. Boy was I wrong!!! Now,two years later, not even med surg will take me :(

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in M/S, MICU, CVICU, SICU, ER, Trauma, NICU.

No one wants to pay the $$ for training. It's a lot of money.

It's definitely a cost-savings environment that's ruling. The economy is the issue, and who knows when it will change.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I work in a sub-acute facility and our D.N.S . has stacks of new grad LVN and RN applications that cant get jobs anywhere..our recent hires tried 20 or different places at a time. Its scary..I plan on going back to school soon but as you move up in education you always start over in a new position as a new hire..and without the experience they want! All I hear is stick woth it things will change..so here's hoping!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Labor & Delivery.

After reading everyone's post I could not be more glad for the path I chose. I went into L&D straight from nursing school in 2006. I caught alot of flack from "seasoned" nurses, that were tired of precepting, and were made to do med/surg back in the day before new grads could get hired into L&D. Sometimes I had second thoughts about the wisdom of my choice to do so. Now, i'm so glad I did. I'm very happy as an L&D nurse now that I have experience (it was very rough in the beginning!). Hang in there for everyone who wants to do L&D. Hopefully opportunities will open back up again. It's worth the wait.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Obstetrics & Gynecology,Medical/Surgical.
No one wants to pay the $$ for training. It's a lot of money.

It's definitely a cost-savings environment that's ruling. The economy is the issue, and who knows when it will change.

Forgive me if this is a dumb question, but where is the cost for the training? I don't know how other units proceed, but in my med/surg unit, preceptors are not paid extra to orient a new nurse. I think many of them enjoy it because it gives them a "break," so to speak, while others do it in order to promote from RNI to RNII, etc. Does the bulk of the cost of training come from the mandatory hospital and unit orientation classes? Or simply due to the hospital having to pay two nurses for one position until he/she is fully trained?

One of the things that irritates me is that several hospitals that had openings months ago, I applied for and was rejected (based on no current experience), and yet those openings are still listed today. I just think, gee...if they had hired me then, I would be fully trained and running by now and they still wouldn't have the need!!!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion