how easy is it to change areas of nursing?

[scastillo1]

I am about to start nursing school as a second career and I was wondering how hard it is to switch areas within a hospital once you have started. I hear that if you start in OB/L&D that you get stuck because the skills are very specific, or similiar things for other areas. I wanted to go into nursing because so many areas interest me and I don't want to choose the wrong first job if it determines my career path and I am unable to move around. Thoughts?

[RNgonewild]

It probably depends on the place you work in. Usually you have to give a committment of 6 months to a year in a certain department if they are training you. However a nurse I work with(or should I say worked with), started at my place as a new grad and was working nites(OB). She needed to go on days and a day position was open in Behavioral Health and she transfered there. Wasn't her first choice, but she needed to go on day shift. A lot of people choose nursing just for that purpose of being able to move around.

[Tweety, BSN, RN]

Where I work one can switch units after six months, if the other unit manager accepts you and you have no write ups. I've done it myself three times over the last 15 years. It's given me a wider variety of experience while keeping my employed at the same hospital and reaping the benefits of having been there 15 years.

Good luck!