how do you get L/D experience if you are required to have experience?

[ratona]

To all L/D nurses I have this question. How did you get hire to the L/D unit without having the experience? I am a new grad who got hired immediately after graduating to the or without experience. I thought it would give me enough experience to later transition to L/D department. It has been 6 months but I hate it there. I want to try to go to L/D but all the hospitals require at least one year experience...... I don't understand, how did the nurses there get their experience in the first place?. Please help!!! and thank you!

[klone, MSN, RN]

Not all units require experience. Some units have new grad programs. Or, they start in a mother/baby unit, which is less likely to require previous experience, and then once you become a known entity, you're more likely to get an opportunity in L&D.

[readyforachangenow]

That's how it is where I am looking at the open positions in my area. I would suggest looking at more rural hospital to possibly increase your chances.

[ReneeRN0521]

I got hired with no L&D experience by a supervisor that saw the benefit of having nurses with a variety of backgrounds. The position only required 1 year of nursing experience. The hard part is finding that special supervisor that is willing to hire people with no L&D experience but that may have other nursing experience that can provide a helpful background.

[BuckRN]

I had a hard time with that too, but finally found a large county hospital that hired me. I had to leave the state I was in to find it though.

[elkpark]

Relocating (or a longer commute to work) can be helpful, if that is an option for you. When I graduated many years ago and knew I wanted to get a job in psych nursing, none of the facilities in the medium-sized city in which I lived and attended school would hire new graduates into any specialty area -- and, because they had such a large pool of applicants, they could afford to be picky. I applied for, and got, a psych nursing job in a different, more rural, area of the state, where the hospitals were delighted to get new graduates with all the up-to-date book larnin' :). It was a great experience.

[ratona]

Thank You Ladies!! I just applied to a mother-baby position and it requires no prior nursing experience. I will do that if hired and then transition to L/D....Wish me luck!!! :)

[SE_BSN_RN, BSN]

Thank You Ladies!! I just applied to a mother-baby position and it requires no prior nursing experience. I will do that if hired and then transition to L/D....Wish me luck!!! :)

How did it go? Did you get the job?!