how long did it take for you to get into L&D nursing?

[NurseJessie2]

Hello everyone!

I am a new grad and have been working as an RN part time in the ER for almost 6 months. I plan to stay at least 1 year and then begin searching for my dream job as a labor and delivery nurse. So my question is how long did it take for you guys to get into a labor and delivery unit? What type of nursing did you do prior to L&D?

Thanks for your replies :)

[Serlait]

Interesting. You've been a nurse for just a little more than a year, have zero L&D experience and you're going to be a charge nurse? Wow....THAT doesn't seem safe at all.

[lbingham]

Its not L&D its a med surg/GYN/OB floor... im going to have extensive training with very experienced nurses to care for the women of my community. L&D is my long term goal and this is one step closer.

[anggelRN]

Here's advice from an L&D nurse- take an L&D job if it's what you want to do and you are offered the opportunity.

[SanDiegoCaliRN]

Med Surg and L&D are two completely different animals. The OB/GYN nurses who floated to your floor, lbingham, did not have some of those "foundational" skills you're describing because they never use those skills in their department. My advice is to go directly to L&D if that's what you're wanting to do. Don't waste your time in Med Surg learning wound vacs, JP drains, and suctioning trachs that you'll never touch in the L&D setting. Trust me, a Med Surg nurse with a years experience who orients to L&D will be just as lost in that department as the new grad. Good luck to you because the biggest challenge is breaking into this specialty.

[beachyfe]

I got my first L&D job as a new grad! I was blessed to know someone who recommended me to the manager since I had worked at a different hospital during nursing school as an OB scrub tech. Have been in OB for 23 years now (have done everything but NICU) and love it as much as when I started.