How to not give up on your dream RN career

sourapril · Nov 21, 2013

I know Denver Health would hire RN with no previous L&D or mom/baby experience. Have you tried them?

Lizzie21 · Nov 21, 2013

Sourapril,

I've tried and talked to the managers. I guess Denver Health is on a hiring freeze, because they just laid off a bunch of people. I just don't know what to do anymore. I just need that one person to give me a shot at it and then I can totally blow their minds with how awesome I can be.

UCAFblue · Nov 22, 2013

I'm a new graduate who has been searching forever to find my first job with absolutely no success...NICU is my absolute dream job, but I'm finding it is difficult to find any type of nursing job. So, I can certainly identify with how frustrated and defeated you feel, but please don't give up! There is someone out there who will see your med/surg experience as a positive. Are you able to consider moving? It seems like here in Colorado all the hospitals are extremely picky, but they may not be elsewhere.

I suggest maybe posting your thoughts in the NICU section of allnurses as well, I've gotten some really good advice from everyone there...maybe someone will be able to give you some helpful information...

evieinco · Nov 22, 2013

I can commiserate with you. I'm in med/surg too, trying to get into mom/baby. I had an interview but was pass over for someone who transferred from another hospital. I'm just plugging away. Hoping someday it will work out, but it's frustrating and disappointing at the same time. I plan to further my education and become a CNM/WHNP, for which I'm applying for Fall 2014, but still,I would like to be "in the mix" before then.

Lizzie21 · Nov 22, 2013

Thanks for the advice guys. It so hard to get into these area. Some of the recruiters I've talked to were telling me to apply to med/surg positions at their facilities to maybe get into maternal/newborn nursing. I'm at a facility right now and they can't even get me in. I wish I could move and try to get experience else where, but with a family here and all that jazz its not even a choice. Maybe I should get my NRP and STABLE certifications done? That could help with the process.

SC_RNDude · Nov 24, 2013

To anyone who will listen and offer maybe some advice,
I have been in med-surg for 3 years now. Out of nursing school I wanted to do maternal/newborn care. These past few months I've had two interviews for a NICU position and a mother/baby position. Both said that they really liked me, but I didn't have experience and that's why they didn't hire me. After I got this I was balling my eyes out. I was told in nursing school that med-surg would be good for me to have when I did apply for this specialty area. I feel like that is so untrue.
Now do I just give up on my dream of being a maternal/newborn nurse? Or do I keep looking and applying, hoping that someone will want to give me a shot? I've never been so sad or upset about not getting my dream job.

You've been on interviews. To me that says they were open to hiring someone without experience in those areas. For whatever reason, they decided someone else was better at this time for their situation. That doesn't mean it will be like that in the future.

I also have three years med/surg experience, and have interests in working in other areas. It's just really difficult right now to move into specialty areas without experience in that area.

I just started my third job as a RN. All three have come from knowing someone from within. If I were you, I would keep in contact with those you interviewed with, and try to network with others. Keep letting them know you are interested.

My other piece of advice is to not assume that those you interview with know what being a med/surg nurse entails. Especially in the areas you are interested in. It is likely that managers and many nurses in a NICU or L&D haven't been a bedside nurse on a med/surg floor in forever, if at all. In my experience, I have learned that only med/surg nurses understand what med/surg nurses do. Be sure and highlite your organizational skills, time management, be able to change plans on the fly, dealing with the needs 4 or 5 patients (and the variety of those pts) and their families, frequent admits and discharges, dealing with people, etc...you get the idea.

I firmly believe if you have made it through a successful first year of med/surg w/o killing someone or having a mental breakdown, you can learn and adapt to any other nursing job. You just have to convince the hiring manager of that.

sourapril · Nov 25, 2013

If you are open to non hospital job but mom baby related I know local county health department has nurse family partnership program that hires right now.

nurse2033, MSN, RN · Nov 25, 2013

If you are serious about that career path I would join a specialty professional organization. They offer local education. Go to that education and you will be sitting with others who work in that speciality. You might also call the hospitals you want to work at and ask if you can attend CE that they offer. Again, you will be sitting with nurses who work on that unit. If you can get any certifications that would apply, start working on them. You will learn a lot by doing this, and make yourself more attractive as an employee, and maybe make a personal connection that can help. Good luck.

Lizzie21 · Nov 29, 2013

Sourapril,

I'm game for anything at this point. Where do I apply?

SE_BSN_RN, BSN · Nov 30, 2013

Lizzie, I am in the same boat as you.....I want to do L&D. I can't even get a M/S position anywhere unless I apply to a new grad program.....and those are few and far between. I don't want to do M/S...I don't like it. I need more of a challenge. I applied to Denver Health.....I'm not sure how they'd be on a hiring freeze and still have jobs posted....I have applied everywhere, I have joined AWHONN, I have my NRP along with a 24 CEU didactic course in mom/baby. And no luck. NONE!

I have 8 years experience as a LPN that everyone said would help. Nope.

I'm sorry I can't help.....just wanted you to know you aren't alone.

sourapril · Dec 2, 2013

Google your county health department's HR. Ask them if they NFP program and if they are hiring nurses. I don't know where you live but most counties should have this program or something similar. I am from Colorado and I can provide more local info if you are willing to move.