new grads entering L&D

EllenDeeRN · Aug 21, 2008

I was lucky enough to be hired right out of school. I work in a high risk L&D unit at the biggest hospital in my city. I did my preceptership on my unit and I think what happened for me was that they were really short on nurses and needed more staff. Although I'm just now feeling a little tiny bit comfortable at work, they needed more staff!

Do you best to get your preceptorship in L&D and bust your butt while you're there. Offer to do things for all the nurses...if anything it will just get you in the habit of "teamwork" that's so important in L&D.

Good luck!!

zahryia, LPN · Aug 21, 2008

I respect the nurses who think that med-surg experience is needed before you enter L and D, however I decided to go straight into L and D.

I did a Med/Surg preceptorship in my senior year and HATED it. I decided if I wasn't going to be an OB nurse, that I wouldn't be a nurse period.

I've only been in my job a month, so the jury is still out whether I made the right decision, but so far, so good.

I have a GREAT preceptor who makes me think critically until my brain hurts and I'm in a supportive nurse residency program that's building us from the top bottom.

If you don't mind going into med-surg for a year, then I would go ahead and do it. If you want to do L and D straight from school, please carefully consider the hospital and orientation, otherwise at the very least, do mother/baby before L and D.

Good luck!

Salgal08 · Aug 22, 2008

I agree with the above poster. :up: :up: :up:

Barkow · Aug 23, 2008

About a year ago I was hired straight into an LDRP along with another new grad. While it was definitely a LOT to get used to at first because you have to learn basic nursing skills along with all that goes along with L&D, postpartum, nursery, the OR, post-ops, etc, I think we've both turned out fairly well since we had some very patient preceptors. Our outcome has been no different than a very experienced med-surg nurse who started a year before us, except that she's better at starting difficult IVs. Some of the older nurses I work with would advise getting med-surg experience first, but many also admit that it's more of a "well I had to do it and so do you" mentality. While there are definitely some skills that can be gained from other nursing experience, L&D is definitely very different from typical floor nursing, and it's such a specific area that much of what you'd learn otherwise isn't really applicable to our patient population (at least for a low-risk unit like ours).

Overall I would suggest that if you know you want to get into L&D to jump right in if you get an opportunity. Having med-surg does not guarantee that you can eventually get an L&D job. We're in a staffing crunch right now and will probably not be able to consider anybody without OB experience for at least a few years. If you can get onto a supportive floor with good preceptors or into a hospital with a nurse residency program, you'll get most everything you need to know.

Nighshft · Aug 24, 2008

Our unit does hire new grads but we it has it's difficult moments, as I will detail later...

We usually hire nurses who have done a student extern program with us, which gives them a sense of what the unit is about,we get a sense of the student's attitude and critical thinking skills, as well as the stress levels that encompass a very busy unit (5,500-6,000 births/year). :yeah:

New nurses have time management issues that are part of the normal learning curve for a new grad. I often tell new grads that are stressed that it often takes years before one feels comfortable in their "skin" as a RN, and that all of the seasoned nurses have felt the same way as they do. :nurse:

Management needs to listen to the staff nurse who spends time w/the new grad to see how they are progressing

:banghead:

Those that are are so stressed that they feel they cannot handle it and want to leave will cost the unit a lot of money spent on orientation,to prevent this loss, we offer them a less stressful enviroment (such as mother/baby) until they feel more comfortable. Many of these nurses find they love mother/baby and are very happy to stay there....

So the bottom line is ...make sure you inderstand that L&D isn't all happiness, there is stress involved and that it really is a critical care area - what we do will affect these newborns for the rest of their lives:dncgbby:

zyna15 · Aug 24, 2008

I graduated from university a year ago and all I could think of was being a L & D nurse. As someone said before, I'd rather be no nurse at all than not being a L& D one. I was told it was better to go on a med/surg department before, but I have'nt, and I don't feel like I've missed something. I think L & D is so different of every other nursing area, you will get your own experience. I got hired as a newly grad, but I've made the extern program in the LDRP department were I'm currently working beforehand. We do everything were I work, L&D, antepartums, evals/triage, nursery and intermediate nursery, so it was something big but I KNEW I COULD HANDLE IT. I love it so much, and I had the best preceptor ever, so I felt very much secure.

I would say GO FOR IT! Everyone thinks you need to do boring stuff before, but if you're meant for L&D, you'll manage your way through the first weeks, no matter what!

:nurse: :redpinkhe:redpinkhe

stelarRN · Aug 25, 2008

it's kind of a relief to hear about some of your feelings towards L&D. i feel like i was meant for it, meant to work with babies, children, mothers.. it's what i became a nurse for. so it's encouraging to hear that it IS possible to go into a field such as L&D or mother/baby without needing med surg.

elanddeenrs · Aug 25, 2008

i think basically you have to be on the lookout for L&Ds that will hire new grads... the director on my L&D unit likes to hire new grads b/c they can be trained fresh and learn the most efficient ways of doing things instead of having already gotten "set in their ways."

mom2bnrs · Sep 5, 2008

:pI graduated this past dec and I was hired right out of nursing school in L&D. I was actually offered both of the L&D positions I applied for. I took the position at the hospital that delivers about 300 babies a month. I knew from day one in OB class L&D is what I wanted to do and I went for it. It IS tough as a new grad but you know what-it's tough to be a new grad ANYWHERE you go to work, not just in L&D. My orientation lasted about 16 weeks and then I went to nights and I LOVE it. I don't see myself doing anything else. So I suggest if L&D is what you want to do-go for it. Good luck!

elanddeenrs · Sep 5, 2008

as some previous posters have stated, it all depends on the hospital. but, i will say the best way to get your foot in the door as a student is to try to do your preceptorship there, if it's possible. you really sort of become part of the 'family' and you learn the culture. and, if the nurses like you, they are your best reference when you go to interview because they will want you back as a nurse. it worked for me!

stelarRN · Sep 14, 2008

i had my first experience on an L&D floor yesterday during clinicals, and saw my first birth. it was amazing! and it only confirmed how much i want to be a L&D nurse. i've decided to go for it once i graduate.