How to get L&D experience

Sparrowhawk · Jul 5, 2009

You could try working as a student tech in the nursery or L&D..it's what my cousin is doing. You'd get a bit of experience anyway.

HeartsOpenWide, RN · Jul 5, 2009

I did three hundred extra precepted clinical hours in labor and delivery, became a certified doula, got my NRP while still in school, and took a beginning midwifery course with a licensed midwife. Another girl in my class also got hired into L&D after graduating because she was working as a unit clerk in our L&D unit.

mzjennx, BSN, RN · Jul 12, 2009

How did you become a Doula?

I want to go into Labor and Delivery, but did not get offered the new grad RN at my local hospital. I did my internship there, but they are only hiring current employee who work there as aides and clerks. I use to work at that same hospital in past in Mother-Baby as an aide, but left due to nursing school. I currently work in Med-Surg at another hospital, but I really want to do Labor and Delivery. Will being a doula help to get some type of experience? I also want to become or take midwifery classes, but they dont offer it here in Hawaii =(

HeartsOpenWide, RN · Jul 13, 2009

I got my doula training though Child Birth International. It was only $350.00 if I remember correctly. The teachings were all on line so totally doable with a school schedule. You have to read a certain # of books; write reports on them; attend child birth education classes; take there three courses; Communication (which requires a essay),Anatomy/Physio (which requires on-line quizes), and Doula skills; and attend two births (which requires a write up on each).

RAYLO! · Jul 13, 2009

Many hospitals have nursing apprentices or nurse interns, in various units.. This is for nursing students that have finished 2 or so semesters in nursing school.. Try calling some of the hospitals you are interested working.. Call their Nurse Recruiter..

It might get your foot in the door, also you could find out if you really want to work there after graduation

mama2krhj · Jul 13, 2009

Thanks for all the info HeartsOpenWide! Do you feel that your Doula training has been beneficial?

thekid · Jul 16, 2009

How did you become a Doula?
I want to go into Labor and Delivery, but did not get offered the new grad RN at my local hospital. I did my internship there, but they are only hiring current employee who work there as aides and clerks. I use to work at that same hospital in past in Mother-Baby as an aide, but left due to nursing school. I currently work in Med-Surg at another hospital, but I really want to do Labor and Delivery. Will being a doula help to get some type of experience? I also want to become or take midwifery classes, but they dont offer it here in Hawaii =(

I am in Hawaii as well..there are (or were) a few different doula classes offered every few months or so. I had started a course but was so sick from being pregnant so I decided to put it off for the time being. There is also a midwife organization..I'll google and see what I can find or you can pm me directly. Can I ask which facility you applied to for L and D?

Some hospitals (none that I have found in Hawaii other than Tripler..and you have to be military to enroll in their course) have a new grad or re-entry program with didactic time and shadowing but it varies among facilities. I had looked into one in the bay area of California (thru Sutter) but it is postponed for now.

thekid · Jul 16, 2009

here you go..

http://www.midwiveshawaii.com/aboutmah.htm

HeartsOpenWide, RN · Jul 16, 2009

Thanks for all the info HeartsOpenWide! Do you feel that your Doula training has been beneficial?

It has helped me. The skills I have to help a woman in labor are not what I learned in nursing school, but as a doula. Plus the Grant I am working on steamed from my Nurse Manager's idea that I offered to take on which impressed her and probably contributed to me getting hired into L&D as a new grad; but it was not the only thing.

mama2krhj · Jul 17, 2009

I was wanting to know if you felt that it was beneficial in assisting your patients during labor. Guess I should have been more clear, but I suppose it can also help in the hiring process. Thanks again for your input :)

CARCAM75 · Jul 19, 2009

Hi,

While I was in nursing school I knew that I wanted to work L&D ONLY (and 12hr Nights on top of that) after I graduated. I lived in Ft Lauderdale, FL and when Jackson Memorial Hospital (Miami, FL) came to recruit senior nursing students for hire close to graduation time, I asked what possibilities there were for me (a second semester nursing student) at the hospital. It turned out that they had Nurse Tech positions available for nursing students who had completed their first semester of nursing school (where we had already learned the skills of taking vitals, changing foley's, making beds, etc.). It paid about $12hr I think and they had positions in L&D, Med Surg, Burn Unit, ICU, Trauma, ER and some others and the regular shifts 8hrs, 12hrs, days, evening, wknds, etc. You weren't required to work at the hospital after graduation, it was just a regular job. I took advantage of the 12 hr nights position on the L&D unit at Jackson and although it was a 30min -1 hr drive coming back to Ft. Laud at the end of the shift (traffic was horrendous) it was a great experience! The nurse tech position there, restocked the linen in all the rooms, transported the babies to the nursery, transported patients to the post-partum units, etc. The LPNs there did the recovery fundal checks (after the RN did the initial fundal assessment post delivery) and cleaned up the moms post delivery so that the nurses could chart and if there was an issue with the patient post delivery, the LPN would assist with "catching" the baby and providing tactile stimulation until the RN could get over to the baby. (The LPN was totally an extra hand at delivery when another RN couldn't be there. This was not their customary role). Because they knew I was in Nursing school and desired to do L&D, they sometimes let me insert foley catheters under supervision, and do the LPN stuff under supervision of the LPN. Not only did this give me valuable training, but it did expose me to things in L&D that though I didn't understand then, I understand NOW as a practicing L&D RN.

Jackson is a very big, very busy, Level 3 Trauma, Community based, Teaching hospital in the heart of Miami, FL. I would suggest that you seek the hospital in your area that is as busy and apply for a Nurse Tech position there on their L&D unit. Even if they don't have that position for L&D, try to get in anywhere you can - cause sometimes if you're already in the hospital you can see openings (not publicized) that other units have that you may qualify for. Let them (nurse mgr, nurse director) know on the L&D floor that you are a nursing student with a desire to be an L&D nurse on graduation and they may "create" an opening for you.

Then try to work the hours that you think you'd be interested in as an RN. The experience for days is different than the experience for night shift. I don't know anything about Maine, but maybe your city isn't the busy city and the neighboring city is. Don't be afraid to venture outside of your city for what you want. You will have to be aggressive whatever you do because nothing is going to be laid out for you. If I didn't speak with the recruiter, I wouldn't have known about the tech position available and after I brought it up , the subsequent time they came to recruit seniors, they made a point to speak with the lower classmen as well about tech positions. You just never know....

Good Luck!