How do I get into labor & delivery after long-term special needs?

[Elven_RN, ASN, RN]

So I'm starting my first nursing job soon in a special needs pediatrics long-term care facility. I really wanted a hospital job, but have had no luck getting in. Where I live it seems to be difficult as a new grad to get into a hospital, plus having no recent work history or any healthcare experience isn't helping I'm sure!

I have a strong desire to work in labor & delivery. My first introductions to nursing were in this field; accompanying my mother to her OB appointments when I was little and visiting my many siblings in the hospital after being born. I learned so much about pregnancy and childbirth from a very early age as my mother was not shy about these topics! This area of nursing feels "natural" to me and I love women's health.

I'd like to know how to get into L&D. Will it be hard to do if I'm not getting my "year in med-surg"? Do I have to wait to get hired into med-surg after the special needs center and then work my way up to L&D? Would an employer not consider me the best candidate because I would have had only experience with special needs patients, which is a vastly different type of nursing?

I would so appreciate insightful and informative answers! Thanks in advance!

[klone, MSN, RN]

A year of med/surg is not a prerequisite to getting into L&D. Your success in getting into your desired area is very dependent upon where you live and whether there are a lot of nurses to choose from. When I lived in a small community, having applicants with any amount of nursing experience, regardless of the area, was rare. Where I live now, I'm able to be choosier and hold out for nurses with more relevant experience.