Need help - L&D or NICU I'm confused.

[4bears]

Help!!! I will be a new grad in a few weeks and have started to interview for Graduate Nursing positions, I have always thought I wanted to be a Labor & Delivery Nurse. To make a long story short, I know you have to have some experience prior to being looked at for that type of position (I've applied and that is what I am being told). Right now I am being considered for several position's, Mother/Baby Post partum, Special Care Nursery, and a very extensive Internship in the NICU (special care-level IV - that is not usually considered to new grads and would be a great opportunity). I know I want to be somewhere in "this area" but where? I essentially I need to make my own decsion but it is all confusing for me, I was dead set on L&D until I also had a chance to do NICU and Special care in my clinical settings and thought I would love to do that also? Any L&D or NICU nurses with advice????? Anyone else go thru this?

[suzanne4, RN]

There is quite a difference between the two areas. Is the NICU in a regular hospital or strictly a pediatric facility? With the NICU position, provided that it is at a full service hospital, you will get the opportunity to attend deliveries down the road. It depends on which area that you are most interested in? Caring for the baby, or caring for the mother?

Some nurse get quite scared in dealing with very tiny infants, others would work no other area. Are you able to shadow a nurse in each of the areas for a day or two to see which you think is a better fit for you? It depends on the educators as well in each area, and how long that your training would be, etc. Just something else to consider.:)