should i hold out for med/surg?

[erin01]

i have been out of nursing school for 3 yrs. i have been working in a private office for the dr who paid for my schooling. I have decide to jump back in and get some acute care experiences. I always thought i wanted to er, trauma, icu. But i having trouble finding work. I have been offered l&D at a great hospital but an extremely busy unit. i would be wiling to try l&d to get my foot in the door to that hospital. But wonder if its not worth the experience. I have applied to ccu step down..is that at all like med surg would that give me opportunities for growth? i am not to crazy about the hospital for ccu step down as its a smaller community hospital. Any adv for this old new grad=( i am just worried with how slow its been with the economy that i may not get what i want. If i hate l&D but love the hospital is it possible to transfer out of that floor? does that look bad? thanks for any adv

[paradiseboundRN]

I would hold out for med/surg and do it for at least a year. You will get great experience and the ability to move on to other specialties. L&D is already a speciality and therefore you might have a little trouble moving from there. And if you already know that you don't like it, each day will be miserable. Its really not fair for the unit to train you if your intention is to get out of L&D asap.

[meluhn]

I would take L&D. Things are tough all over right now and that is a good specialty area. Very different from med surg but still a specialty. I have friends that love it and would never want to do anything else. It is a good opportunity, don't let it pass you by. There are many m/s nurses who would kill for L&D. You will work like a dog in M/S. In l&d you will work like a normal human being.

[classicdame, MSN, EdD]

This is a very personal decision of course. I will tell you that the people who STAY in L&D are very devoted to their unit and tend to think of their job as a "calling". That tells me they find contentment. But they also work hard - especially when the laboring patient wants you to stay over as she has bonded with you. As for transferring, there are generally hospital policies about that is done (after 6 months or one year, etc). All things being equal, the hospital is likely to want to keep someone they have invested time in and will try to accommodate you, but that is dependent on many factors. Good luck.