Need advice on career planning

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I just graduated with ADN. There are no residency-first programs for ADN nurses here, only if you secure a full-time hospital position. Most hospitals put new grads on night shifts that I am unable to work due to various reasons. I had 4 interviews so far - hospice, hospital med-surge, home care, and mental health clinic. None of those places meets fully my future goal in terms of experience. I plan to become a midwife (CNM). I like mental nursing, and do not like med-surge. I feel like mental nursing will give me the most valuable experience with the exception of L/D nursing. I applied to L/D but they are not interested in new grads at all, it seems like I have to do a year in med-surge first. I wonder if I can stay in mental health while doing my BSN and MSN, I am going to be a full-time student, it is a lot of work. Or do I need to switch to med-surge at some point with a goal to get into L/D afterward? I read somewhere that I may have a hard time getting into a midwifery program and especially finding my first job as a midwife if I had no L/D nursing experience. At what point I become unemployable for med/surge due to "skills loss"? Some thoughts? Experience?

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Specializes in OB.

No, I don't think you need to switch to med/surg. Half the midwifery programs out there don't require any nursing experience at all anymore, so I think you will be fine sticking with a mental health job if that's what you're drawn to.

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I urge you to get into L&D Make sure its what you want to do . You will learn so many valuable skills by working in L&D Some places will take new grads. Go to busiest unit you can.

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