New grad wanting to specialize one day...

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Specializes in Surgical, Critical Care, LTC & SAR.

Help me find my way please! I know that the economy is a mess right now, which makes things harder as far as "getting my pick of jobs"...but I would love to specialize in some aspect of women's health care one day. I envision myself assisting with IVF in a repro. endo. office maybe? Where do i start? L&D? OB? Med Surg? Is it impossible to get hired as a new grad in L&D or on a Mom/Baby Unit? What about working as a tech for a OB just to say I have SOME experience? Would that help me get my foot in the door at a hospital's L&D? Thanks! :)

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Specializes in geriatrics/long term care.

i had a friend that graduated from RN school with me that started work immediately after graduation in a job on the labor and delivery floor at a hospital where we had clinicals. But she was a CNA in that hospital. I think she got hired on as a CNA DURING clinicals and then fell off into the position of her choice upon graduation. I don't know if any tuition reimbursment agreements were involved or if any agreements were involved at all

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Specializes in PICU, NICU, L&D, Public Health, Hospice.

Some hospitals hire new grads into L&D, some do not. I would guess that more hire into antepartum or similar.

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Specializes in Cardiac.

I think it all depends. I worked in a hospital as a CNA in OH,did a practicum on L&D, was told "yea we hire new grads", but when it came down too it, the nurse manager really did not want to hire new grads. I met some really awesome nurses there during my practicum, who were willing to give me references to a smaller hospital that was hiring at the time. But after trying to get in touch with that nurse manager who never returned multiple messages. It was hopeless.If you can get into a L&D or mom/baby unit, go for it! but med/surg is always a great jumpoff for somthing like L&D and after a year experience there you should be able to specialize.The job market here last May in was HORRIBLE. Many of my friend are still working in LTC,but its getting better her. It really depends on where your at.Good Luck!

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Specializes in Occupational health, Corrections, PACU.

I think I am hearing that you don't really care so much about the L & D type of work, you are mainly interested in fertility and women's health issues. Again, it all depends on where you live, and there are more opportunities in large metropolitan areas than smaller cities. Check out women's clinics, or large health organizations that have different areas like gyn, and work in there a while. You would get a lot of continuing education on gyn issues, and may make some contacts as far as fertility practice is concerned. For instance, if I wanted to go down that path here in the Houston area, I would check out the very large primary health care provider Kelsey Seybold, or the county hospital system that sees large numbers of patients in clinic, and seek the gyn/OB department. Primary care and acute care in hospitals are worlds apart, so choose your path wisely. Also of note, however, I do some PACU agency work at a fertility clinic, and most of the nurses that work there have some surgical services experience in OR and PACU.

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