How do I get my foot in the OB door?

ragingmomster, BSN, MSN, RN · Jan 28, 2005

Try expanding the geographical area in which you are looking for a job. No-one in my area will hire new grads into OB, but I widened my search and found that I CAN get a job.

At 25, you may be young enough to handle a big move if necessary to get to your dream.

Good luck and Best wishes! :)

webbiedebbie · Jan 28, 2005

Recertifying as CNA would be a start. You could then possibly obtain a position in postpartum or mother/baby.

In some hospitals, an OB tech is trained for scrubbing for cesarean sections. Some require that you already have training in surgical tech responsibilities from a school.

I worked as a unit secretary in Labor and Delivery while I went to nursing school. I was then hired as a new grad and trained in Labor and Delivery. Most hospitals now require that you have Medical/Surgical experience before you can work Labor and Delivery.

Good luck in your pursuit. Take one day at a time. I didn't start nursing school until I was 30 years old.

meesa214 · Jan 28, 2005

Are you in nursing school now? I'm not quite sure based on your post where you are in your education. My hospital occasionally hires nursing students in L&D, and then they have the best shot at getting a job there as a new grad if a position happens to open up. This hospital pretty much won't hire new grads on any unit unless you worked there as a nursing student.

Montessori Mommy · Jan 29, 2005

I'm starting nursing school in the fall, and would also like to work in L&D when I graduate. I thought maybe I'd volunteer to assist the hospital's lactation consultants in teaching new moms how to breastfeed. (I have two daughters that were both breastfed for 14 months.) I thought it would be a good way to gwt to know the staff in L&D, as well as encourage new moms to breastfeed.

There is one hospital in my area that hires nurses right out of school, but they are more of an "OB/GYN hotel" than a hospital. Anyone with even minor pregnancy complications cannot deliver there. Newborns with complications are often sent to the local teaching hospital since they don't have the specialists to take care of them there. The doctors there also tend to induce all of their patients so that they'll deliver during office hours. Honestly, I'd rather get the experience I need, and wait to get a job in a good teaching hosptal than work in a place like that!

Beth

Fiona59 · Jan 29, 2005

Maternity and L&D are often seen as desirable unit to work by students. Best to check them out while a student. I swore blind as a student it would be the last unit I'd ever work. But I wound up working maternity and loved it.

People skills are very important. It's an all female enviroment with a lot of politics. So you learn to keep your head down and opinions to yourself. You also learn to follow the party line (so to speak) and keep your opinions on anything to due with anything to yourself and follow whatever methods the hospital are using.

Our lactation consultant lost her position due to budget cuts, but somehow that info never quite was absorbed by the Dr.s who kept telling the new mums to talk to the LC. We never used volunteers for anything other than baby cuddling in the nursery and then only after a good security check and loads of references.

Good luck in your career. L&D nurses were a different breed in our hospital and seemed to stay in their jobs forever...average age was 56!

pugsweluv · Jan 29, 2005

I am graduating in May 05 and I am doing my preceptor in L&D in a local hosp. Because they are short staffed at area hosp. they are hiring new grads for any and everything. I live in Alabama and I am 43. I say go and get your degree if that is something you want to do and I think you can find the L&D job somewhere. That is what I did and its looking like I will have a job in L&D when I graduate. :) :) :)

BETSRN · Jan 29, 2005

I have always wanted to be a labor and delivery nurse or CNM, but I quit school after completing one semester of general ed. (I was still 17 and lost :chair: ).....EIGHT YEARS LATER..... I applied to a couple of colleges in my area, and am nolonger afraid of school, I guess you could say I finally have my priorities in order.
Every L&D job search I have seen states "exp req.", how can I get the experience so I can jump right to the L&D unit after I grad. My goal is to become a CNM within 10 yrs. I had my CNA when I was 16 but I got too scared from the nursing home we did our clinical hours at to ever get a CNA job. I have just ordered a CNA textbook to do some studying so I can re-cert. But is there anytihng esle I can do. I have heard of OB tech, and I would asume that would be closer to RN duties than CNA but I don't know how to get into that postion either.
Thanks in advance,
Cassandre'

You better make sure you can handle patient care before you go on to nursing school. L&D is definitely NOT for the faint of heart. You are dealing with two patients at once: one you cannot really see.

Midwifery is demanding and there is a great chance for lawsuits as there is in any part of obstetrics. We have 5 CNM's and they work their butts off. They can be sued just like the doctor involved.

Being an OB tech often may mean scrubbing for sections as well as lots of other CNA stuff.

What scared you about the nursing home? The nursing home (and the duties involved there) is very MILD compared to what you will have to handle as an RN in a hospital setting. patient acuity is very high these days, meaning the patients are very sick.

I don't mean to be a bummer, but make sure nursing is for you before you spend all that time, money and effort. Nursing is NOT glamorous and there is a huge chance to be named in lawsuits in this day and age, no matter what specialty you choose.

BETSRN · Jan 29, 2005

I'm starting nursing school in the fall, and would also like to work in L&D when I graduate. I thought maybe I'd volunteer to assist the hospital's lactation consultants in teaching new moms how to breastfeed. (I have two daughters that were both breastfed for 14 months.) I thought it would be a good way to gwt to know the staff in L&D, as well as encourage new moms to breastfeed.
There is one hospital in my area that hires nurses right out of school, but they are more of an "OB/GYN hotel" than a hospital. Anyone with even minor pregnancy complications cannot deliver there. Newborns with complications are often sent to the local teaching hospital since they don't have the specialists to take care of them there. The doctors there also tend to induce all of their patients so that they'll deliver during office hours. Honestly, I'd rather get the experience I need, and wait to get a job in a good teaching hosptal than work in a place like that!
Beth

Most hospitals require you to have your IBCLC (international board certification) to be hired as a lactation consultant (or to use the title at all). The requirements for that are very stringent (minimum 2500 hours of teaching lactation in addition to a degree and other coursework) At the very least, you need to have your CLC (certified lactation counselor), which is a certification course that one can test for after taking a 40 hour course. Personal experience is helpful but doesn't cut it as far as actual experience goes.

Start small and work up. That's what I did. I am an IBCLC and it tok me a long time to get there. but it is worth it. Grab all the experience you can from your lactation people and get some education on paper while you do it. Good luck.

WhatToDo · Jan 31, 2005

I'm going into a one-year BSN program in June and I would like tog directly into labor & delivery as well. I am currently volunteering at the L&D unit near where I work and I love it!

The nurses there say that it is not too hard to find a job in L&D as a new grad, but L&D has little turnover so sometimes it can be hard.

The university I'm attending offers a doula training program. You may want to look into being a doula and then you will have experience.

BETSRN · Jan 31, 2005

I'm going into a one-year BSN program in June and I would like tog directly into labor & delivery as well. I am currently volunteering at the L&D unit near where I work and I love it!
The nurses there say that it is not too hard to find a job in L&D as a new grad, but L&D has little turnover so sometimes it can be hard.
The university I'm attending offers a doula training program. You may want to look into being a doula and then you will have experience.

What is a one year BSN program? It can't have much clinical time, which severely limits a new grad's opportunities.

Contrary to what you may have been told, many hospitals (small and large will NOT hire new grads directly into L&D. In fact, I just had an interview today in one of the biggest hospitals in the state and the manager of L&D stated that she does NOt hire new grads. It takes a tremendous amount of learning to get comfortable in a general unit, much less in a specialty.

I wouod suggest that you check out the hospitals in your area so that you are not disappointed.

SmilingBluEyes · Feb 1, 2005

likely the one-year BSN already has an undergraduate degree and is doing an intense BSN completion. I don't know how their clinical hours stack up to the generic BSN/ADN however. Must be INTENSE!