should I go into L&D rather than PP?

Specialties Ob/Gyn

Published

Hey fellow nurses. I am having a hard time deciding what is best for me right now. I am currently working in Medsurg (3+ years) and am ready to move on. I have always wanted to work in postpartum but it seems like my dream hasn't been granted yet. I have recently interviewed with the manager at my current hospital for a postpartum position but it didn't seem like she wants to hire me. I have been emailing her a few times but to no response. It has been difficult for me to apply elsewhere as well since I don't have any OB background. I noticed that my hospital currently have openings for L&D. Do you guys think I should interview for that position? They will invest in training me, but I'm just a little worried about making it til the end since this area is a bit more challenging than postpartum. Not to mention, it is outside of my comfort zone. I read a lot of posts on here that made me worried and want to steer away from L&D. I really hope there are more positives in L&D that will get me interested in the area. I have always wanted to work in OB, but I really need to get my foot into the door somehow. I have always thought starting out in postpartum will be better. Should I start in L&D and move my way down to postpartum later on? I appreciate any suggestions. Thanks for reading my dilemma.

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Specializes in L&D.

I think it depends on what you ultimately want to do. Personally, although there is a learning curve to L&D, it is an awesome field to be in. It will also help if you do end up going to PP because you have an idea of what happens during the labor process and immediate postpartum. i would say go for it!

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Some people really aren't cut out for L&D, and if that's you, then it's best to figure that out early. Is there a way you could shadow on L&D and see what it's like? It can be a very fast-paced, intense environment that can take a while to really figure out. If that doesn't sound like what you're interested in, then you may be wise to steer clear.

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I guess you're right about maybe giving it a try and see if this is something I really want to go into. I feel bad that if I decide that it isn't for me, I wasted their valuable time in training me. Can you explain what sorts of things that makes the environment very intense and fast paced?

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The very nature of labor can be fast-paced and intense, even in non-emergent situations. You're often dealing with patient in intense pain, and that can be crazy enough. Add in a patient's overly-concerned family members, an impatient OBGYN, a busy anesthesiologist, and an understaffed unit, and you've got a recipe for trouble.

https://cervixwithasmile.wordpress.com/2015/10/03/the-happiest-job-on-earth/

The last night I worked, I finished up a patient's recovery after a lady partsl delivery. After that, I headed straight to the OR for a C-section assist on another nurse's patient. Immediately after that, I got a patient through triage who was contracting and ended up getting admitted. During the rest of the shift, I assisted with another patient whose epidural was messing with her blood pressure, assisted in admitting two other laboring patients, and helped two other nurses transfer their patients to postpartum. All of that is in addition to caring for my own patient, including getting her an epidural, starting Pitocin and doing her 30-minute checks.

L&D isn't for the faint of heart. There are very few shifts (especially if you work in a bigger hospital) where you'll find yourself bored. Most shifts, you'll find yourself wishing you had time to eat, pee and drink water!

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Try postpartum position first, then eventually tell your department manager that you would like to witness a few births and assist if needed so you can gain some experience in labor and delivery to see if that is a potential position you would like in nursing. That way you will find out if it's truly what you want to do. Labor and Delivery nursing is much more stressful from what I've noticed at work.

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Try postpartum position first, then eventually tell your department manager that you would like to witness a few births and assist if needed so you can gain some experience in labor and delivery to see if that is a potential position you would like in nursing. That way you will find out if it's truly what you want to do. Labor and Delivery nursing is much more stressful from what I've noticed at work.

The OP wants to work postpartum, not L&D. The issue is that the job openings are in L&D and she's applied to PP with no luck.

She should have a much more immediate opportunity to explore L&D to determine if it's something she's interested in by way of shadowing. At any rate, I would not recommend taking a job in one department with the hopes that months or years later, you can try to get into another department that you think you could potentially want to work in, but ultimately have no exposure to. It's one thing if the OP were to try L&D, find she has some interest in it, and accept a job, hoping to eventually transfer to PP. It's another thing entirely if she accepts a job blindly or even knowing she doesn't like L&D, but hoping to ride it out until something in PP opens up.

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I really like the positive encouragement about all this SoldierNurse22. I definitely need to start somewhere and see where I fit in the OB world. Who knows, maybe I might like L&D later on. You brought a good point about trying L&D out and see if I like it. It wouldn't hurt to try it out and hope to transfer to PP once there's opening. I do like variety sometimes and I can see why L&D is an intense place to work. I'm just worried about getting burnt out especially with stress and staffing. I'm sure it comes with time to overcome it.

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Specializes in L&D, infusion, urology.

If you can handle where you are now until something else opens up, I'd say to do that. It sounds like the postpartum position you've already interviewed for won't be getting offered, but keep putting in applications as they come up elsewhere if at all possible. L&D and PP are two very different animals. I have spent time on both units. L&D is more skills, assessment, fast-paced, and hopefully (like here in CA), focusing on one or two patients during your shift. And once they deliver, you're busy getting everything done to get them sent to PP. In PP, you have 4 couplets, so you stay pretty busy there, too, and you're doing a lot of educating, assessing, assisting with breastfeeding, and a lot of frequent VS, especially if you get a fresh C/S patient. Both units keep you on your toes, just in very different ways. If you feel you're more of a postpartum person, then I'd say to hold out until something there comes along. The two are just such different animals, and working in one isn't necessarily a gateway to the other (and when it has been, in my experience, it's the other way around).

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Specializes in Critical Care, Postpartum.

One of the reasons myself and my collegues who came from stressful units left to be PP nurses was so we could leave that life behind and we have no desire to go back. I work for one of the largest women's hospitals in the country with about 15K birth per year and know L&D is very stressful so that unit wasn't on my radar. I don't know how many births a year your hospital has but if you're good with the stess level on your med surg floor, you can give L&D a try.

Also why do you think the PP manager doesn't want to hire you? Have you done a follow-up call or email to know how the interview went? Feedback is helpful so you know what you can correct for the next possible interview.

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