Getting into L&D

Specialties Ob/Gyn

Published

I live in Long Island, NY. I have 4 yrs of Med-Surg experience and more than a yr of Adult ICU experience. I'm trying now to move into my dream job -L&D - but am encountering nothing but rejection. Every hospital has told me, "We require at least a yr of L&D experience." I apply anyway, but with no result. Even my own hospital told me the same thing when I talked to a Maternal-Child Nurse Manager here. Only nurses with 1 yr experience will be considered. Should I try working in the NICU next? Will that help my chances? Or is postpartum a better bet? I also am willing to take any courses that would help my resume. Any recommendations there and where do I find these courses? Any particular type hospital that is more likely to train in this area? I work for a very large teaching hospital on Long Island. Any info anyone can give me would be helpful.

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NICU or postpartum may help you get a step closer to L&D. You might consider taking the NALS course. Have any friends working in OB?

A good word from co-workers never hurt. Make sure you let the managers know how interested you are and check back with them more than once. Don't get discouraged, keep applying!

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Just keep tring and reapplying and a little luck. I found a hospital willing to train me in L& D if I signed a contract to work for them for at least 2 years. Find out if any hospitals have a residency program for you. You may have to relocate. Are you willing to do that? The northwest seems to have more openings. Good luck.

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I am on the same crusade!! And I will prevail!!

My plan of attack is to get in per diem on a Womens' Evaluation and Treatment untit. This is where women go to be evaluated for labor. The also treat patients with ectopic pregnancy, preterm labor, postpartum hemmorhage. Patients from this unit are triaged and admitted as needed to the appropriate area.

Hiring at our hospital goes like this. Open positions are posted on the unit first, perdiem staff can apply. Then it goes on an in house board, then to the outside. So by getting in perdiem, I will have first shot at an opening.

NETWORK!! I have an interview next week, because I had someone to vouch for me!!

Find out who the Manager of the unit is, and send resume right to that person. Forget Human resources- they are just an obstacle!!!

Go on a ceu spree!!! I am taking every related Ceu course that I can get my hands onto on line. I plan to bring those to my interview, to prove I am serious about learning the job!!

If you don't get an interview, you could always use the ceu's as a way to get the Nurse managers attention. Send a letter expressing continued interest, and slip in there that you have been learning about....

Be persistent!! Now is when Nurse managers are starting to worry about covering summer vacations, so be their solution!! You will probably have to be willing to do nights.

I plan to work the eval unit for a year, and then try for LDRP. I figure then I will have learned some assessments, and some fetal monitoring.

GOOD LUCK> HOPE THIS HELPS EVERYONE

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Originally posted by Rosie460:

I live in Long Island, NY. I have 4 yrs of Med-Surg experience and more than a yr of Adult ICU experience. I'm trying now to move into my dream job -L&D - but am encountering nothing but rejection. Every hospital has told me, "We require at least a yr of L&D experience." I apply anyway, but with no result. Even my own hospital told me the same thing when I talked to a Maternal-Child Nurse Manager here. Only nurses with 1 yr experience will be considered. Should I try working in the NICU next? Will that help my chances? Or is postpartum a better bet? I also am willing to take any courses that would help my resume. Any recommendations there and where do I find these courses? Any particular type hospital that is more likely to train in this area? I work for a very large teaching hospital on Long Island. Any info anyone can give me would be helpful.

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Originally posted by mommy2taylor:

I am on the same crusade!! And I will prevail!!

My plan of attack is to get in per diem on a Womens' Evaluation and Treatment untit. This is where women go to be evaluated for labor. The also treat patients with ectopic pregnancy, preterm labor, postpartum hemmorhage. Patients from this unit are triaged and admitted as needed to the appropriate area.

Hiring at our hospital goes like this. Open positions are posted on the unit first, perdiem staff can apply. Then it goes on an in house board, then to the outside. So by getting in perdiem, I will have first shot at an opening.

NETWORK!! I have an interview next week, because I had someone to vouch for me!!

Find out who the Manager of the unit is, and send resume right to that person. Forget Human resources- they are just an obstacle!!!

Go on a ceu spree!!! I am taking every related Ceu course that I can get my hands onto on line. I plan to bring those to my interview, to prove I am serious about learning the job!!

If you don't get an interview, you could always use the ceu's as a way to get the Nurse managers attention. Send a letter expressing continued interest, and slip in there that you have been learning about....

Be persistent!! Now is when Nurse managers are starting to worry about covering summer vacations, so be their solution!! You will probably have to be willing to do nights.

I plan to work the eval unit for a year, and then try for LDRP. I figure then I will have learned some assessments, and some fetal monitoring.

GOOD LUCK> HOPE THIS HELPS EVERYONE

Good luck!, sounds like a good track. If you have a moment please fill me in on this eval unit. wer're opening something similar and neew some help with assigning staff, policies, charting suggestions. Or the name of the hospital to contact

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i got into l&d quite by accident. i worked post partum as a new grad in colorado. the l&d unit was desperate for a night l&d nurse and my manager asked me to fill the position. i said yes but had never planned on working in that area. i now love it. there is a nursing shortage in my area of the country. if you can relocate id think about that. if not work prn for post partum or newborn nursery. if you can impress the manager than you have a better chance.

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Hi, Labor and Delivery is my dream job as well....actually I would like to be a CNM when I grow up (mid thirties already!!). I got my ADN and transfered right into an RN to BSN program, which I graduate from in 10 weeks (whose counting?). My decision was two fold, I thought a BSN degree would eventually become necessary, and to go on for a MSN/CNM I would need a bachelors (so why not nursing?), and oh yeah, the main reason for this program was so that I could do an intensive preceptorship in a specialty area. I have been precepting in L&D now since Jan. and have already picked up an application. NRP next week, ACLS the following week, the recommendation of my preceptor and I am in.....An awfully long road to get there, but it is true, they all request 1 year experience, and that 1st years experience is very hard to get. Another suggestion is to get Nurseweek Magazine (I bet they have a site). I see jobs listings all the time, and there seems to be a bad nursing crunch in So. California....

Good Luck,

Naomi, RN

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I know exactly how you feel. I too worked med/surg because after grad Iwas told to go get the exp and come back. Then worked ICU for about 6months and hated it. I want to be a CNM and need the L&D exp. However, now can't get it because I have been labeled an ICU nurse. I began working in a hospital based doula program hoping that would help unfortunately it hasn't. The thing that really burns me up there are doulas that I work with without a nursing degree that have a bachelors are going to acelerated Rn program and right into a CNM program. Does this make sense? I can't get in because I have no L&D experience.

AS Frustrated as You,

SJN

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Originally posted by mommy2taylor:

I am on the same crusade!! And I will prevail!!

My plan of attack is to get in per diem on a Womens' Evaluation and Treatment untit. This is where women go to be evaluated for labor. The also treat patients with ectopic pregnancy, preterm labor, postpartum hemmorhage. Patients from this unit are triaged and admitted as needed to the appropriate area.

Hiring at our hospital goes like this. Open positions are posted on the unit first, perdiem staff can apply. Then it goes on an in house board, then to the outside. So by getting in perdiem, I will have first shot at an opening.

NETWORK!! I have an interview next week, because I had someone to vouch for me!!

Find out who the Manager of the unit is, and send resume right to that person. Forget Human resources- they are just an obstacle!!!

Go on a ceu spree!!! I am taking every related Ceu course that I can get my hands onto on line. I plan to bring those to my interview, to prove I am serious about learning the job!!

If you don't get an interview, you could always use the ceu's as a way to get the Nurse managers attention. Send a letter expressing continued interest, and slip in there that you have been learning about....

Be persistent!! Now is when Nurse managers are starting to worry about covering summer vacations, so be their solution!! You will probably have to be willing to do nights.

I plan to work the eval unit for a year, and then try for LDRP. I figure then I will have learned some assessments, and some fetal monitoring.

GOOD LUCK> HOPE THIS HELPS EVERYONE

I GOT THE JOB!!!! I START IN 2 WEEKS. DON"T GIVE UP!!!

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