Any L&D nurses here?

Specialties Ob/Gyn

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I am a nursing student interested in pursuing the L&D field. I have heard that most of the time L&D units like to hire nurses with a couple years(at least) experience in another field first. Is this true? What should I do to best work my way into that field?

Another kinda odd question-- I am TERRIFIED of actually being handed the baby by the doc! On "A Baby Story" and those type shows it looks like the OB practically throws the baby into your arms!! What if I drop the baby? That would be awful!

Specializes in OB.

I just started a job in OB this past Friday. I'm a new grad and L&D has always been my dream. I actually worked med-surg for 2 weeks before I was offered this job and I hated every second of it. If you want to do L&D then you should go for it. You'll be happier. I agree - try and do some kind of internship or work as a nurse tech or a NAC on a maternity floor during school. When you do your OB clinicals, really try to get in and see and do as much as you can. I basically got my new job because I worked as a nurse tech in OB during school.

Good Luck!

Carrie

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Specializes in OB, lactation.

I went straight into L&D (my hospital needs people in all areas!)... don't regret it a bit. As a matter of fact, I'm really glad I wasn't tempted to do another area first. For someone in doubt it may be different, but the whole reason I went to nursing school was to go into L&D/postpartum specifically. I enjoyed my other rotations but I'm so happy to be where I am!!!

An externship or working as a tech in L&D would probably be great for you if at all possible.

Good luck!

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Specializes in L & D and Mother-Baby.

I also went straight to L & D out of school and have no regrets. It was the reason I wanted to become a nurse and I was also encouraged by my instructors/preceptors that if my passion was OB nursing, I should go for it and not waste any time in Med-Surg!

I do caution you that L & D is not for the faint hearted. It is a dynamic, fast paced unit where anything and everything can happen. Alot of dreamy eyed nursing students think that L & D is all about coaching a woman through a beautiful birth and playing with cute babies. WRONG! As a previous poster mentioned, an uncomplicated, healthy pregnant woman is rare! And once that healthy patient gets an epidural, or has Pitocin augmentation, or has internal monitors...she becomes high risk!! And that's just about everyone you will come across these days! So, while L & D is the only place I would ever dream of working...it's hard work. But the best job you could ever have.....go for your dream! A student externship is an excellent idea so you can get a feel for the reality of L & D!!!!!

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Specializes in trauma, critial care, ob, transplant.

I went straight into L&D out of nursing school in 1990. It was not what I expected in that it was not just a happy place where everyone is having babies. It is a very intense unit. Mother's were very sick. The accountability was very high. I really did love it, though. I left and went to critical care for several years and a few other things in order to gain experience elsewhere. Well, now, here I am back in L&D. It is a very, very stressful place. The mother's and babies are much sicker, though I work at in a hospital that is a referral center and gets everything that the other hospitals aren't equipted to handle. Though I love obstetrics dearly, I belive that it is very difficult for a new grad to come into this role. It is important to realize that it is much more than a happy place where everyone has babies and everyone is happy. You have two patients. Mom and baby. When the baby has a problem, you can't touch it or see it in order to fix it as you can the mother. It is very stressful and requires real determination and committment on the nurses part to want to learn and to continuously update themselves so that you always know what the most current policy or mode of care is. It is a very exciting but demanding field. I recomend getting your feet wet first by fine tuning your assessment skills, time management skills, etc. before jumping in.

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Specializes in ER/Forensics/Disaster.

Thank you so much everyone for the advice!! I think I may try a med/surg unit first just for experience so I have a broad skill base--but eventually I'd like to end up in L&D. Thanks again::)

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I appreciate all the honest comments by nurses here. I previously worked as a HIV Case Manager in an HIV Clinic and have seen my share of seriously ill mothers to be. It's actually one of the reasons I have been interested in L&D although I haven't even started my first year of school yet, lol.

I will definitely heed the advice of nurses here of taking the opportunity to do an externship if possible to get experience and determine if L&D is really the speciality for me.

I am very greatful that I've found this forum!

Naima

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Got into OB right out of school 9 years ago. No regrets and never have even come close to dropping a baby ever, even when I myself delivered them

if this is a dream of yours, do what you can to get into nursing school and GO FOR IT! I have no regrets really. I still love caring for OB patients and babies.

I am moving this thread to the OB forum, for more answers/participation or help for you. I hope you don't mind.

Good luck and welcome to allnurses.com!

I have a couple of questions for you if you don't mind. I went into nursing school with the thought I'd want to go into labor and delivery or mother/baby. Can you tell me the differences you notice between the 2 units, both good and bad. I like both areas but can't decide which one I prefer. I was offered an externship in the labor/delivery, but am debating if I'd rather do this than mother/baby. I don't want to accept the position unless I know for sure because I don't want to waste my time or theirs for that matter. I was told not to accept unless this is what I wanted to do for certain after graduation. If I do accept however they said that the probability of me being hired is about 90%. Can you please give me some advice? Thanks in advance!

p.s. My sister currently works in l/d as a surg tech, although we get along fine I don't want to step on her toes in any way, so that is why I am leaning more toward the mother/baby side.

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I recently interviewed for an externship in OB (should hear back any day now) but was told that if I didn't like L&D I could switch to PP. Are you sure you'd be 'stuck' with where you extern? I'd check 'cause it's my understanding that you can move around some while externing. They really want you to end up where you're happiest. My friend is externing in Med/surg and is trying to transfer somewhere else now. She just has to wait for an opening and she should be able to get it.

Good luck,

Keli

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Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.
I have a couple of questions for you if you don't mind. I went into nursing school with the thought I'd want to go into labor and delivery or mother/baby. Can you tell me the differences you notice between the 2 units, both good and bad. I like both areas but can't decide which one I prefer. I was offered an externship in the labor/delivery, but am debating if I'd rather do this than mother/baby. I don't want to accept the position unless I know for sure because I don't want to waste my time or theirs for that matter. I was told not to accept unless this is what I wanted to do for certain after graduation. If I do accept however they said that the probability of me being hired is about 90%. Can you please give me some advice? Thanks in advance!

p.s. My sister currently works in l/d as a surg tech, although we get along fine I don't want to step on her toes in any way, so that is why I am leaning more toward the mother/baby side.

Some places combine units into LDRP units. This is where I work. We do Labor, delivery, recovery and postpartum care for all our patients in the same room, no moving them around.

Other places do have separate units for L/D and PP. Often new nurses start in PP then move to L/D in many of these hospitals. I guess where you work would depend on your preference and unit policies. Many L/D units will not hire new graduates from school. Others will via nurse externships and residencies. You would need to check with HR departments of these hospitals to see how it is done there and if there are openings in these programs for you.

I like doing it all. I would rather not get stuck in just L/D or PP all the time. I like variety ---some days I am in no mood to deal with labor patients and others, that is what I want to do. Also, my unit cares for post-op GYN patients after their surgeries, so there is a bit more variety for me.

It depends on you and what is available in your area. LDRP is hard for a new graduate to learn right out school, because you have to cross train in all the various areas. But it is worth it.

Check around, see what is out there and who hires new graduates. If you can find a residency/externship program, so much the better. Go for that.

Hope this helps.

deb

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I recently interviewed for an externship in OB (should hear back any day now) but was told that if I didn't like L&D I could switch to PP. Are you sure you'd be 'stuck' with where you extern? I'd check 'cause it's my understanding that you can move around some while externing. They really want you to end up where you're happiest. My friend is externing in Med/surg and is trying to transfer somewhere else now. She just has to wait for an opening and she should be able to get it.

Good luck,

Keli

I'm pretty sure that once hired as an extern on a certain unit at our hospital we are meant to stay there. The lady who hires said to make certain this is what I wanted before I accepted. My heart has always been with l&d, that was my dream from day 1. My sister works there as well so I'm aware that it isn't all exciting and fun all the time, but it's the challenge that I'm looking forward to. I just want to make sure I'm making the right decision for myself for the long-term. We don't do our OB rotations until 4th semester so I haven't had any 1st hadn't experience, aside from having 4 kids (twins included). Thanks for your advice...I'll be sure to ask about transferring when I speak to her next time.

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Some places combine units into LDRP units. This is where I work. We do Labor, delivery, recovery and postpartum care for all our patients in the same room, no moving them around.

Other places do have separate units for L/D and PP. Often new nurses start in PP then move to L/D in many of these hospitals. I guess where you work would depend on your preference and unit policies. Many L/D units will not hire new graduates from school. Others will via nurse externships and residencies. You would need to check with HR departments of these hospitals to see how it is done there and if there are openings in these programs for you.

I like doing it all. I would rather not get stuck in just L/D or PP all the time. I like variety ---some days I am in no mood to deal with labor patients and others, that is what I want to do. Also, my unit cares for post-op GYN patients after their surgeries, so there is a bit more variety for me.

It depends on you and what is available in your area. LDRP is hard for a new graduate to learn right out school, because you have to cross train in all the various areas. But it is worth it.

Check around, see what is out there and who hires new graduates. If you can find a residency/externship program, so much the better. Go for that.

Hope this helps.

deb

Our l&d and postpartum are two separate units. They do hire new grads so that's sort of a relief. I was told if I took the extern ship I'd more than likely be hired on after graduation so I was told to make certain this is what I wanted. I really need to think about this and let her know something soon.

Thanks for the advice!

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Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.

I wish you the best. Let us know how it goes.

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