How many went from new grad to L&D?

ndsweetheart · Mar 27, 2005

Foxfour-

I will be going to L&D right after graduation (May 2005). The only thing my hospital does is have us do a 10-week residency program on Med/Surg. According to one of my OB instructors, the literature states that it is no longer necessary for that year of med/surg experience. But they still make us do it. The nurses at my hosital are happy that they are getting about 4 new grads to join their unit. They want to "teach us how they do it". But I too have heard terrible stories from other nurses, particularly med/surg nurses. I am just keeping a positive attitude! I, myself, hate med/surg. I am not excited for my residency, but it is just one more hoop to jump through.

I guess, all I can say, is keep looking and you will find the "right" L&D unit for you!

SmilingBluEyes · Mar 27, 2005

I did in 1997.

bbnurse · Mar 27, 2005

I went directly into Maternal Child many years ago and have NEVER regretted it at all. I firmly believe that most OB nurses are "born"...that we know from the first that we love it and will always find a place to work that allows us that expression of love. Many others stumble into OB and find they have the capacity to do it well and love it too.

I worked in long term care, did consultation work and have worked in small hospitals requiring me to float to med/surg and ICU. I could function in all areas within reason, but I always asked questions and never assumed that I knew M/S as well as those who work it constantly. All these other experiences taught me valuable lessons but I did learn the art of prioritization, assessments and caring in Maternal Child. I think you take what you learn in school, use the basic principles applied to wherever you are and LEARN from others. You can learn anything anywhere with the right attitude and approach.

I have and will always accept applications from new graduates if I have that option. They are eager and generally know WHY they went into nursing--meaning they went into it to be an OB nurse.

I encourage new grads to try applying. You never know what might be happening in the unit, making the director open to hiring a new graduate. It at least gives you the opportunity to make a positive impression about your love of OB and maybe keep you in her mind at another time.

I'm surprised so few people have responded to your question. There are lots of OB nurses who absolutely love it and their regrets are few.

SmilingBluEyes · Mar 27, 2005

where in WA do you plan to live? I live here.

daisybaby, LPN · Mar 28, 2005

I graduated in December, and began LDR in January. It was definitely the right decision for me...

mugwump · Mar 28, 2005

My answer to that is yes and know. I went directly to a specialized

Antepartum unit. We take care of the high risk pregnancies, PIH, Diabetes, placenta previa, twin to twin transfusion we have had people of chemo and dialyasis. I know how to take care of a pregnant who is NOT delivering a baby at the moment. I ship them off to somewho else. Funny thing is we take care of the SICK people better than L&D at our hospital. Our L&D takes laboring women and (high high risk) pregnant women I define (high high risk) as care that is more one nurse to one patient where in APU we usually and 3-4 patients with one nurse. I am so glad for my experience as an APU nurse I really am part OB and part med/surg. I say that because we had had peopl 4 weeks pregnant with a kidnwy stone on my unit (the rest of the hosptial hears pregant and get to scarred to take care of them) Anyway moral of the story is I see the progression of people getting sick, I know what to watch for. I have enhanced that inner voice in me and have the confidence to listen to it. In L&D they are there usually because the decision has already been made to have a baby they don't see the progression just the end product.

That is how it is in my hospital though. Hope this helps

Foxfour · Mar 28, 2005

where in WA do you plan to live? I live here.
I plan on renting an apt at first. On my days off, I plan on exploring the west coast of WA and find me that just right spot. All along the west coast is beautiful, so I know it will be hard to decide. The price of land, and a low crime rate will be the top determining factors. Port Angeles looks promising (at least from the chamber of commerce's perspective). Do you have any advice for a newcomer from Texas who is so excited about moving there? I also was wondering if anybody out there might know where a person could go to take lessons on how to drive on mountainous terrains? I have driven on nothing but flat, snowless land my whole life.

BETSRN · Mar 28, 2005

I was emailing a exp'd L&D nurse. I was relaying my love of L&D. When I was in nursing school, my instructors (all of them) said go to med/surg for at least a year, and then specialize in what area you want. I put 2.5 mons into med/surg., and I couldn't put one more day into it. I hate med/surg (I hated it during clinicals as well). Another thing that happened that scared me was a lot of nurses in other specilites would ask what area of nsg was I going into when I graduated, and I would say L&D. They all had nothing but negative comments as to why I shouldn't go into this area. In my head, I wrote it off as just an area that they didn't appreciate, but the one thought that I couldn't erase from my mind was the volume of nurses that was telling me this; however, I'm thick-headed, so I tried to get into L&D when I graduated, but no one would hire me due to lack of exp. I'm soon moving to WA where I'm going to try once again for L&D. My question is did any of you L&D nurses go into L&D right out of school. Also please tell me that L&D is as great a job as I think it is in my mind.

L&D is WONDERFUL!! I would be hard pressed to leave it. Do I think it is right for a new grad? No, I do not. It is a stressful, critical care area where you are taking care of two people, one you can see and talk to and one you cannot! I would go for a mother/baby position first to get your feet wet. Then move on up! Good luck!

SmilingBluEyes · Mar 28, 2005

L&D is WONDERFUL!! I would be hard pressed to leave it. Do I think it is right for a new grad? No, I do not. It is a stressful, critical care area where you are taking care of two people, one you can see and talk to and one you cannot! I would go for a mother/baby position first to get your feet wet. Then move on up! Good luck!

"Move up"? Meaning what Betsy?

First off, Med-surg is an extremely critical care area itself these days----and a speciality too. So I don't consider OB a "step up" from med-surg rather, a lateral cross train. That connotation is unfair and unwarranted.

And still so many seem to want to tell new grads to start out there. Med-surg can eat a new grad alive just as any other area. And nursing overall is more litigious than ever. Being in med-surg first? I can't say it would help many of them in OB truly. It's apples and oranges to me...... We have had quite a few crosstrain from med-surg to OB and do no better really than the green grad did. The one thing they DID bring that I appreciated is a knowledge base of knowing when someone is "going south" at times. But OB is so different than med-surg that the two dont' even compare. I can't see med-surg as a "stepping stone" to OB. CCU/ICU? Yes, easily. OB? No.

Where I work, We have hired several new grads who have done terrific. I guess it depends on the orientation and attitude of the staff and manager alike. I just do not believe new grads must start in med-surg to go into "speciality" areas like OB. I am living proof and so are many others here. :)

ManyRN2B · Mar 28, 2005

I was debating this myself. I have an interview thursday to work in L&D at a big hospital. They have a 12 wk training program for new nurse grads. I have talked to other nurses and asked if Med/Surg made a difference in their transition to L&D and they said no. I agree with the above post, Med/Surg is a lateral move BUT I think with med/surg the conditions are more broad then L&D. L&D is more focused then med/surg. I don't mind doing med/surg for a year after I graduate but that is only if I have to.

Tiffany

Grad May 05

JaneyW · Mar 28, 2005

I graduated in June 2002 and went right into L&D with a four month orientation including a classroom training program. I have never regretted it. Med/Surg was not for me. I am older (35 when I graduated) and I knew what I wanted to do. I liked a couple of different 'specialty' areas because I am better when I am focused. We tend to do the same things over and over with some emergencies and panic situations thrown in there to keep us on our toes.

I enjoy the teaching in OB and the ability to help make the event 'special for the patient and family. I really enjoy what I do. My hospital is small and we don't have a true anepartum so we often have to go to med/surg to doppler or NST a patient there for something else. I admire the med/surg nurses and what they can do--I don't think I could handle so many diagnoses at the same time. They can't do what I do and I can't do what they do. We all have to work together.

New grad in L&D? Sure, but you have to be ready to learn and understand that it will take you a year or two to get comfortable no matter what your background. I was offered several positions right out of school, but I am in a shortage hard hit area. Good Luck and do what you feel you want to in your heart. Just know that L&D isn't easy--nothing in nursing is.