Labor and Delivery

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I want to work in the labor and delivery floor as soon as i get out of an RN program, is it possible? Do i need to take an extra program? I'm about to start college

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Specializes in Nurse Leader specializing in Labor & Delivery.

It's definitely possible (no further coursework needed) but you should understand that L&D is a VERY high demand specialty, and it's definitely possible that you may not find any L&D openings immediately. You should prepare yourself for the fact that you may have to "settle" for another nursing job.

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Hi ramosyasmin,

I worked on a maternity floor as a new grad. Most people will tell you that it is either very difficult or not possible to do this right out of nursing school. It is difficult, but not impossible. There is a lot of nursing culture that promotes the idea that nurses need to do 1-2 years of med/surg prior to specializing. While this can helpful in terms of skills and assessments, there is some literature out there saying new grads make great nurse-specialists if they have a proper orientation. It is important to stay positive, not focus on the haters and gain as much experience in that field as possible without actually being an RN yet.

My advice would be this:

1) Try to get a nurse's aid job on an obstetric floor (mother/baby etc) or gyn floor at a hospital. You may build a good enough relationship with your boss where they will want to hire you as an RN when you are done with school.

2) Pick a labor/delivery site for you senior preceptorship so that you gain some experience and hopefully can get a good reference (or a job).

3) Get a nurse externship in L&D or mother/baby during the summer at Mayo or another hospital.

4) If those don't pan out, apply to a new grad training program in L&D. These programs are very competitive, but they will train you well.

5) Pay to get certified in NRP (neonatal resuscitation) before you apply to jobs. Some hospitals use a computer program to make sure that you are minimally qualified before a human will set eyes on your application. Without NRP and BLS you might not make it past that point.

6) Go get yourself trained as a doula or go to a class that gets you certified as a CLC (certified lactation consultant). Both of those things look great on a resume.

Good luck!

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Specializes in L&D, infusion, urology.

I agree with nursekate8. You can get in, but it's tough. I precepted in postpartum, and was offered a job, but due to hospital politics, wasn't allowed to be hired (much to the manager's dismay). You're more likely to get hired into postpartum first than in L&D, but L&D happens on rare occasion. You will want to look at new grad programs once you graduate from nursing school (if you choose to pursue nursing school, based on your other thread).

NRP and ACLS are good certs to have, along with AWHONN fetal monitoring and possible STABLE and PALS. You'd want to start these close to or after graduation/licensure.

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Specializes in L&D, infusion, urology.

Also, based on your other thread, consider looking into becoming an OB tech. It might be a good way to work in L&D without having to spend all of those years in nursing school. Plus, if you DO decide to become a nurse, you'd have the experience and connections that would help a TON when you graduate.

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Do ADNs work in the Labor and Delivery section ?

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Specializes in Nurse Leader specializing in Labor & Delivery.

Sure. Unless the hospital doesn't hire ADNs.

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Most definitely ! They also work in ICU, ER , Shock trauma and etc. It all depends on the employer and whether or not they hire ADNs.

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I'm from Sacramento, California, and I need help. I want to work in the Labor and Delivery floor. Thing is, are ADNs hired at hospitals? I'm not sure if ADNs are hired at Hospitals, for example UC Davis? Sutter Memorial? Or any other hospital. I'm not really a fan of blood, but I'm so into infants, are LVNs allowed to work in the L&d floor, or is it rare? Should I get my Bachelors degree, or is it just a waste of time and effort? Please I need a lot of opinions. Also, if I want to get into the L&d floor, do I choose or does the employer do that?

I'm not sure if ADNs are hired at Hospitals, for example UC Davis? Sutter Memorial? Or any other hospital. I'm not really a fan of blood, but I'm so into infants, are LVNs allowed to work in the L&d floor, or is it rare? Should I get my Bachelors degree, or is it just a waste of time and effort? Please I need a lot of opinions. Also, if I want to get into the L&d floor, do I choose or does the employer do that?

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Well I'm from Sacramento California and not sure if they do .. is it hard to get into that section?

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Specializes in L&D, infusion, urology.

Have you ever attended a birth? You might consider it, because blood is a major part of the equation (especially if something goes wrong), and you NEED to be able to handle that if you choose to work on this unit.

I know that UC Davis DOES NOT hire ADN nurses. Sometimes some of the Sutter hospitals do, but it's really case-by-case, and again, when there are so many nurses with BSNs for the same pay, they'll take that. I haven't heard of a LVN in L&D in many years, and most of them are only because they've been there for so long.

I would urge you to look at job postings for these hospitals and see what they look like. Even within that, things can be misleading, but you can see some of what they're looking for.

For example, this posting from UC Davis NICU (I don't see any L&D postings right now):

[TABLE=class: PABACKGROUNDINVISIBLE, width: 567]

[TR]

[TD]Minimum Requirements[/TD]

[/TR]

[TR]

[TD]PT_PIXEL_1.gif[/TD]

[TD]At least one year recent paid RN experience in a Level III NICU. Previous experience caring for micro premies, cardiac infants and children with gastrointestinal malformations preferred. CPR and NRP Certification preferred. External Candidate: BSN required. Per Diem to Career: BSN Required or in progress.

[/TD]

[/TR]

[/TABLE]

Sutter has some RARE positions not requiring experience in L&D (to which I have applied).

Kaiser South Sac:

Basic Qualifications:

* Minimum of 6 months experience. See job duties for specific experience requirements for specialty units.

* LABOR & DELIVERY - One year recent experience (within the last 3 years) in L&D with completion of AWHONN L&D course preferred. NRP certification is required. Current ACLS certification may be required in some units. Successful completion of advanced fetal monitoring course preferred within the last 2 years. Successful completion of a Fetal Monitoring Interpretation Competency within the first three months of hire may be required. May be expected to cross train to at least 1 other Maternal Child Health/Family Centered Care area with appropriate certifications. Must complete circulating and recovery competencies as required. Willingness to scrub may be required.

* SPECIALITY AREAS - If no qualified candidate, may be willing to train in the specialty areas listed below. Candidates in training are required to obtain appropriate certifications within 6 months of hire or transfer into unit.

* High School Diploma/GED.

* Graduate of an accredited registered nursing program and completion of the current hours required by the BRN of RN student clinical experience or Graduate of registered nursing and either 1) 2000 hours of RN experience in clinical area of specialty from a licensed acute care facility within three (3) years of graduation; or 2) graduate of an accredited licensed vocational nursing program that includes clinical student experience in acute care and has worked 2000 hours as an licensed vocational nurse within the clinical area of specialty within three (3) years before graduation or currently enrolled in an accredited entry level MSN program and has completed pre-licensure requirements to practice nursing.

* Current license to practice as a Registered Nurse in California.

* Current Basic Life Support (BLS) certification for health care providers.

* Demonstrated knowledge of the RN scope of practice.

* Demonstrated commitment to service orientation (members, staff, providers).

* Demonstrated effective written and oral communication skills (in English).

* Good interpersonal skills.

* Also refer to Position Specifications outlined in the appropriate collective bargaining agreement.

Primary Location

: California-Sacramento-S. Sacramento Hospital 6600 Bruceville Rd.

Kaiser is known for NOT hiring new grads. They're strict on experience.

Just a sampling of what the postings look like. Take some time to do some research. And I would STRONGLY urge you to attend a birth or two if blood makes you squeamish.

ETA:

When you apply for positions, you apply for the units you seek. It's not like you apply to the hospital, and managers place you where they want you.

Also, birth has A LOT of body fluids/solids. I'm not sure how you handle that sort of thing, but it's bloody, wet, mucusy, comes with poop and pee from mom while she's pushing, sometimes from the baby, you need to be able to suction the baby sometimes, check mom's lady partsl bleeding frequently post-birth, massage her fundus (belly) while checking said bleeding, monitor her urine output like crazy, especially after a c-section. Not to mention the placenta, which requires inspection to ensure it is intact, and you need to obtain blood samples from it.

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I'm from Sacramento, California, and I need help. I want to work in the Labor and Delivery floor. Thing is, are ADNs hired at hospitals? I'm not sure if ADNs are hired at Hospitals, for example UC Davis? Sutter Memorial? Or any other hospital. I'm not really a fan of blood, but I'm so into infants, are LVNs allowed to work in the L&d floor, or is it rare? Should I get my Bachelors degree, or is it just a waste of time and effort? Please I need a lot of opinions. Also, if I want to get into the L&d floor, do I choose or does the employer do that?

I'm not sure if ADNs are hired at Hospitals, for example UC Davis? Sutter Memorial? Or any other hospital. I'm not really a fan of blood, but I'm so into infants, are LVNs allowed to work in the L&d floor, or is it rare? Should I get my Bachelors degree, or is it just a waste of time and effort? Please I need a lot of opinions. Also, if I want to get into the L&d floor, do I choose or does the employer do that?

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