Offered Labor & Delivery position as a new grad. Should I take it or keep applying to a bigger teaching hospital?

[babynursefay]

I just recently graduated from nursing school with my BSN in December. With COVID still lightly around, it has been very hard finding a position as a new grad in OBGYN or pediatrics, since spots are limited, which is where my passion is.

I am open to anything such as: mother/baby, NICU, women's GYN, pediatrics, labor & delivery. Yet it has been so hard to land a job in these areas.

I graduated from one of the top schools in my state, however I do not have any hospital experience. After many rejections from applying to these areas. I finally landed a labor & delivery position at a local small community hospital, it is a very small and much older unit, however all the staff members seemed very friendly.

Should I accept this position and learn as much as a I can for a year then transfer to a larger teaching hospital or should I keep applying?

I don't want to get too picky since many of my classmates have jobs already, but at the same time I don't know if this is the best opportunity, I am lucky to live in an area where there are many hospitals and always hiring nurses in med sure, progressive care, etc.. however its not my passion like my love for Peds/womens health.

Add on: By all means I do not think I am too good for a community hospital, however I am not sure it'll offer everything I want to learn and not sure if the pay will be much lower than the bigger hospitals.

[CalicoKitty, BSN, MSN, RN]

38 minutes ago, babynursefay said:

I am open to anything such as: mother/baby, NICU, women's gYN, pediatrics, labor & delivery.

These are very different types of nursing. You are starting your career. More than general "knowledge", I think starting your career in a workplace with awesome coworkers that will help you start your career is important. Friendly coworkers are great. You will learn a lot, especially in the first year where you may feel very overwhelmed. You have the whole rest of your working career to learn more and move into different areas of nursing.

[klone, MSN, RN]

Honestly, you will learn much more at a small community hospital than you will at a large teaching hospital, where residents and midwives have a much bigger role at the bedside. At a small hospital, you will likely not have providers in-house 24/7, so you will learn how to manage labor from start to finish, do your own vag exams, insert FSEs, and catch babies (because they will sometimes arrive before the provider can get in-house).

[Nunya, BSN]

11 hours ago, klone said:

Honestly, you will learn much more at a small community hospital than you will at a large teaching hospital, where residents and midwives have a much bigger role at the bedside. At a small hospital, you will likely not have providers in-house 24/7, so you will learn how to manage labor from start to finish, do your own vag exams, insert FSEs, and catch babies (because they will sometimes arrive before the provider can get in-house).

Exactly, and if you're new you'll learn a lot, and the pace will probably be slower so you'll not only learn how but why.  And you'll have a much better resume when you do decide you want to be in a busier unit, and you'll already have some basic knowledge.  Plus in a smaller hospital you'll probably have the opportunity to work in all areas since you'll probably float, and while floating can be nerve wracking it'll expose you to other areas that you might decide you really like.