How do I get hired into OB?? Please Help!!

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Ok so here is my story. I am an RN and have been since May 2008. My first job was on a med-surg unit and I worked there for approximately 7 months, then had a baby and during my maternity leave was offered a higher paying job at a plasma donation center. I HATED the plasma center and worked there from March 2009-November 2009...couldn't stand being there any longer...I was bored to death! So I recently went back to med-surg...same hospital I was at previously but different campus (and unit). I like it...can't say I love it...but it's a job. My true passion is OB...any area...L&D, Mother/Baby, NICU...it wouldn't matter. I LOVED my clinical rotation in OB and once I set foot on that unit I knew that this was my calling. I loved every minute I was there. There are only 2 hospitals in my area that have OB units and both frequently have positions open. I cannot tell you how many positions I have applied for and have never even gotten a phone call. I'm so frustrated! What does it take? Then to top it off...I was in orientation in Nov for my new job and there was a women sitting next to me who was hired for OB (a RN). I began talking to her and told her how much I wanted to work in OB someday and asked her where she has worked previously and she stated "I haven't I just graduated"....I was furious!! Why would they hire a new grad over someone who actually has experience?? Please if anyone can give some tips that may help me get into this area I would appreciate it. Anything special I could put on my resume/application? Any special certifications I could get without having OB experience. I'm planning on going on for my BSN..possibly starting this fall which I know may help. Any other advice??

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Specializes in Hospital Education Coordinator.

got to HR and talk to them about how much you want to be in that dept and what does it take and can they get you an appt with the Director or someone so you can get your foot in the door. If it is outside your hospital you SOMEHOW have to figure out who is the supervisor for that dept. Again, making friends with HR is a good idea. That is how I got transferred to a better position that led to where I am now. Make friends with HR.

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i'm on the same boat as you. i'm trying to figure out ways to spaze it up.

1) join AWHONN (look it up). do their CEU and print them out. go to conference, participate, engage, network.

2) volunteer on the OB floor (i've been telling myself to do that for awhile now). i was gonna do this unit assistant job on the side before i did my nclex. they told me if they liked me during my job there, they would hire me as a new grad on their L&D straight out of school.. be sure that the unit is hiring tho.

3) introduce yourself to the DON.

3) ACLS, NRP, STABLE.

goodluck

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Specializes in Perinatal, Education.

Join AWHONN. Get ACLS, NRP and a basic fetal monitoring certificate. Maybe even take other classes like breastfeeding. This will show that you are dedicated. These are all things you will need within 6 months of hire and having them before will be helpful.

Well, you won't need AWHONN, but it helps!

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Specializes in Labor & Delivery.

I'm not sure if I can really help, but here's my story:

I was hired in L&D right out of school (BSN)... I had done my nursing school preceptorship in L&D so I technically had SOME experience. I was originally hired for Med/Surg but turned it down because I've NEVER liked M/S. I knew I wanted L&D. I went straight to HR & basically fought to get an interview because they were hesitant because it's such a specialty, I was new, and young. I told them how much OB nursing meant to me & all I wanted was an interview. I got it, and an hour after my interview I got the phone call saying I got the job!

My advice to you is to really fight for it. Make sure you know the area too, it'll show your dedication. Don't take no for an answer, especially if positions are still available. They should at least give you a shot, especially because you have experience. I love my job, and look forward to working every day.

GOOD LUCK!!!

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Thank you so much for all the replies...I know a wonderful person in HR that may be able to help, also a nurse educator who really likes me with ties to OB. I will look into AWHONN and getting certified in NRP and basic fetal monitoring...I am already ACLS certified. I have tried calling the Nurse Manager but I got her voice mail and she never called back :(. I've heard that she is VERY picky about who she hires...which is good all NMs should be...but I just want a chance! Hopefully soon I will be on here with some good news about a wonderful new job I have :)

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Good luck! It is my dream job to get into that area too.

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Specializes in Ante-Intra-Postpartum, Post Gyne.
I cannot tell you how many positions I have applied for and have never even gotten a phone call. I'm so frustrated! What does it take?

Do you just apply and wait around for them to call you? Call them. Make sure they got your application. Do you know what this new grad did to get the job? I was hired into OB after graduation but I had done two EXTRA preceptorships in OB, became a certified doula, NRP, ACLS, took a beginning midwifery course, and stayed in contact with the positions I was applying for.

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Specializes in Orthopedics/Med-Surg, LDRP.

I am going through this too. Before I graduated nursing school I applied for an internship in LDRP. They normall took 1-2 new nurses but they were opening a new wing and so me and a classmate were basically vying for the last, 4th position. We had to do a head to head interview and they gave it to both of us. I was just about to finish my internship when they pulled me aside and said effective that day I'd no longer be an intern there. I never got any negative feedback on my skills, and of all the interns I was the first to transition from mommy/baby to L&D and the first to transision to OR/PACU/Triage. So if I was doing so well, why was there a problem? They never gave me a concrete answer and I met with the director a week later because I felt so blindsided. Personally I think it was because I was overweight and was judged purely on that, but that's another story. I was transferred to m/s where I was promoted to asst manager less than a year later - so it wasn't me, it was them. I since switched hospitals and went back to floor nursing but my first love is still maternity. A friend of mine had told me she was getting ICU orientation and she's a m/s nurse. She wants to get into ICU but there's no jobs currently. I asked her how she did it and she offered to do per diem/extra hours on ICU if they were willing to do an orientation with her. She emailed the unit director via intra-hosptial email and got a yes reply. Well I did the same thing for our MBU and guess what? I've got an interview tomorrow. It's a foot in the door even if I just have to do 24 hours there a month minimum. Now I'm reading feverishly on my newborn/PP assessments so that I can go there refreshed on what I'm talking about.

However, should I disclose about that whole incident about the internship? I never really did complete it, but it does give me *some* experience. ANd as an aside, that old Director was fired a month after they told me I wouldn't be finishing my internship with them. So it really was her. Or perhaps I keep telling myself that.

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