ICU RN wants to go to L & D...advice please

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Specializes in GICU-WE GET IT ALL.

Hello ALL! WELL, I AM AN ICU NURSE, AND I JUST APPLIED TO SEVERAL L&D POSITIONS. I AM REALLY BURNT OUT WITH THE PATIENTS AND ATMOSPHERE IN THE ICU & I NEED A CHANGE. I LIKE HIGH ACUITY PATIENTS AND I ENJOY THE DETAIL ORIENTED CARE I THE ICU, BUT I AM NO LONGER ENJOYING TAKING CARE OF PPL WHO HAVE NO CHANCE OF SURVIVAL, KEPING PPL ALIVE THAT SHOULDNT BE, ECT. I JUST WANT TO BE ABLE TO GO TO WORK AND FEEL POSITIVE ABOUT WHAT IM DOING. I LOVE TO TEACH AND I AM JUST OBSSESED WITH LEARNING EVERYTHING I CAN ABOUT CHILDBIRTH, LABOR, & PREGNANCY ( IT REALLY STARTED WHEN I GOT PREGNANT WITH MY DAUGHTER:redpinkhe) I HAVE ALWAYS LOVED L&d, BUT IT IS DIFFICULT TO GET INTO STRAIGHT OUT OF SCHOOL. NOW ALL I WANT IS TO BE AN L&D NURSE. ANY ADVICE ON INTERVIEW TIPS- SPECIFIC TO L&D, ANYTHING THAT MIGHT UP MY CHANCES OF GETTING INTO L&D, THOUGHTS, THINGS TO KNOW/READ/STUDY BEFORE AN INTERVIEW, CERTS TO TRY AND GET,ECT...

THANKS!!!!!!!!!! :yeah:

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Hi vastudent09,

I went from Cardiothoracic ICU to L&D (in a different hospital) and found it a wonderful change...totally different, of course but lots of similarities to my previous experience, also. The L&D nurses where I worked covered the delivery suite, the OR, and the Recovery Areas . It was considered a Critital Care area because there was no where else in the hospital where a pregnant woman who needed an arterial line could be...You'll love it. I only stayed 1 year because a job I had been waiting for at the Visiting Nurse Service came available but there is so much variety and opportunity for private practice (childbirh classes, etc) that I wished it had been my first love...it just wasn't.

Regarding how to get such a job...that depends partly on where you are. Where do you live? Are you willing to relocate? Are you able to relocate if you have no moving assistance?

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Specializes in GICU-WE GET IT ALL.

I live in VA but can't relocate right now. But the positions I applied for asked for. L&D, ED or critical care experience so I'm hoping my Icu experience can help me. I'm going to also lOok into certifications I could get or anyything L&D related while I stay in Icu and just keep applying as positions come open. I just hope it won't take too long !

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If you are planning to apply in your current hospital, I suggest taking a walk over to L&D one day and introduce yourself to the Nurse Manager and let her/him know that you would like to work there. That's how I came to work in the Open Heart RR. I was working in the OR and there was a post open heart patient coming down the hall just when I was going on break, so I followed them. It worked so well I would use the technique again. Anyway, it can't hurt.

Good luck to you.

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Specializes in ED, ICU, Education.

You'll need PALS and a newborn resusitation class. I think it's great that you are willing to stretch your wings in a totally different area of nursing. I wish you only the best. :)

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I am a L&D nurse that just went to ICU. I would suggest taking a basic fetal monitoring class, NRP, and joining AWHONN. ICU experience would help, bc Labor is a specialty unit that has lots of sick mothers. The labor dept could benefit from your ICU skills and knowledge. The experience I had in L&D helped me critically think in emergent situations. I was also exposed to surgical procedure and post anesthesia recovery. So if having this experience helps me in ICU, I think your ICU experience will help in L&D.

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