NICU/L&D in Toronto (or GTA)

[wanderlustnurse88, RN]

Hi

I'm a RN looking to specialize in NICU or LD. I'm going to be starting my certification soon, but it will probably be two years before I finish it. I was wondering about job availability in these areas in Toronto or the GTA. I know that I would have to work on getting seniority and potentially waiting a bit for a position but before I start into this area, is it over saturated with nurses?

Thanks

[dishes, BSN, RN]

What do you mean starting certification soon? Usually certification means you already have two or more years experience working in a specialty and have passed the CNA specialty certification exam. Are you talking about taking a course that offers a certificate of acheivement? If so, it might not make any difference to your career plans, if you are currently working in acute care, suggest you speak to the NICU and L&D managers and find out if is worth taking a course at this point.

[joanna73, BSN, RN]

Do you mean you're taking a course through a community college in perinatal nursing?

One of my friends took a perinatal nursing course after graduation, but it took her two years to get into L and D. She worked in behavioural health prior to that.

[wanderlustnurse88, RN]

Yes I mean I'm taking perinatal nursing through a community college. I'm not sure if that is the correct route to go to try and get into obstetrics or neonatal. I currently work in a small rural hospital which only has LTC, acute, and emerg. I'm moving back to the GTA in about a year so I wanted to start doing something now if I could. Any help would be appreciated.

[dishes, BSN, RN]

If you look at job postings for L&D you can see post-partum experience is often required along with more education. Keep applying to acute care hospitals, if you are hired casual and float to different floors you may end up floating to the post-partum floor and eventually obtain a permanent post-partum position.