Labor & delivery after graduation?

[►that_funky♪&#]

So I've been told that it is very hard to get right into L&D after graduation b/c it is a very popular department. Have you known this to be true? What was your first position right after getting your license?

Also, for those of you that do work in OB, what is the pace of your job and stress level like? I think I would really enjoy it, but I worry that I might not have what it takes in terms of quick thinking when it comes down to emergency situations. What does it take to be a labor and delivery nurse? What are important personality and professional traits to make it in this field? I have always wanted to do something that involves babies and after I had my first child, I had an interest in being a part of helping other women deliver their babies, as I don't know what else can even compare to helping bringing new life into this world.

What is the hardest part of your job? How do you get over the death of a patient, especially that of a baby/child? I fear that this is what would be the hardest part to get over. I know it can happen so what do you say and do for the mother in that situation? I couldn't even imagine......

Does anyone have any advice for an aspiring L&D nurse? Thanks in advance!

[cosmicmama, BSN, RN]

It's not hard to get into L&D right after school "because it's a popular department". It's hard to get into because it's a specialty area. New grads need time to hone their basic nursing skills before jumping into such a specialized area.

Delivery is not necessarily the hardest part of the job. There are MANY possible stressful situations that could occur, and shadowing for one shift is not really going to give you any idea of what it's like to work there. It's different being an observer, and being the one who is responsible for the safety of the mother and baby.

Also, I have never seen an LPN working in L&D.

Not trying to discourage you though. You're still in the super green stage, and you don't yet know what you don't know. When you first start to orient to L&D for real, as a staff nurse, you will begin to understand HOW MUCH you have to learn and how skilled a good L&D nurse has to be. It takes YEARS to get really, really comfortable for some people. I would suggest you go for the BSN, and build up your skills in med-surg before trying to get into L&D.