Help! Why is switching specialties so difficult?

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I have worked in the ER most of my time as a nurse, but I also have home health and clinic nursing experience. For a long time I’ve desired to switch into L&D or NICU/Pediatric nursing as I really feel this is where my passion and niche with nursing is at, and yet if I apply I can never get a call much less an interview for these! Even once a hospital called and told me “well you don’t have experience for that but we’d love to have you in our ED”. Has anyone else had this issue? Any ideas on what I can do to get myself considered for these specialties I’ve wanted to work within for so long? 

Specializes in CCU,ICU, Neuro.

Absolutely keep trying to go into the specialty you want. That is one of the wonderful things about our profession, it is so varied.  I went from PICU to neonatal over a 10 year period, then switched to adult ICU. I am so much happier with adult patients. 3 of my friends from ICU went to PICU, they were considered valuable because they had adult ICU experience. Yes, I was asked why I was changing to adult ICU and I answered truthfully. Since you take pediatric patients in the ED and laboring women, you can get your certifications in this areas. Our ED requires PALS, for example.  
We have hired ED nurses, hemodialysis nurses, and oncology nurses  for our ICU and they are excellent!! I’m not sure why you can’t get an interview, but submit your resume to different cities close to you ( or far away) and go ahead and interview there, too. You may not want to move, but interviewing at different places is a valuable experience and will help you build skills. 

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Specializes in Psych, Addictions, SOL (Student of Life).

As others here have said you should consider taking classes and gaining certifications In the specialties you want to enter. This will show prospective employers that you have a vested interest in the specialty. 

Hppy

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Specializes in nursing ethics.

This looks the specialty you are seeking has a sufficient or excess supply of nurses there, and is very competitive to enter. It is similar to other occupations like that. Either try another location, another part of the nation or state, accept a lower salary or standard of hospital or clinic or perhaps take a course in this area, if possible. Sometimes transferring skills works --or not.  The employers can be choosy, unless maybe you have a special ability or knowledge that others don't.

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Specializes in OB-GYN/Womens Health.

I would go talk to the L&D manager and tell her why you wanna switch over. And I would continue to follow up with visits to her office/emails/ letters. Ask her exactly what she recommends you do to prepare for the role. This could mean taking a fetal monitoring class or NRP. The persistent bird gets the worm. 

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Specializes in Psych, Addictions, SOL (Student of Life).
18 hours ago, meggie roo said:

I would go talk to the L&D manager and tell her why you wanna switch over. And I would continue to follow up with visits to her office/emails/ letters. Ask her exactly what she recommends you do to prepare for the role. This could mean taking a fetal monitoring class or NRP. The persistent bird gets the worm. 

Sadly the days of being able to pop in on a unit manager and win them over with your eagerness and charm are long gone. The last two times I've tried this I was told all applications need to go through the HR Website!

Hppy

 

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