Paid Orientation?

Yes, you're paid for orientation. At both places I've gone I get full pay from the start.

Depending on the shortage situation where you live, L&D and peds are usually pretty easy to get into as a new grad. I know our L&D just hired at least 7 new grads.

By neonate do you mean well baby nursery? Lots of places also hire new grads, it's often mixed in with post-partum.

If you mean NICU, that's usually a bit tougher. Even around here, most hospitals want nurses to have experience with well neonates or peds before going into the NICU.

A good way to improve your odds is to find a hospital you like and work part-time as a tech in the unit of your choice. It will give you some valuable experience and get your foot in the door.

Yes, you do get paid for orientation. As soon as you graduate and get hired by a hospital, you start getting paid in full from the day you start orientation.

As far as going straight to L&D, peds, or NICU, yes you can do it right out of school. For peds and NICU, many new grads are hired because experience in adult areas isn't necessary. It's a whole new world when working with children! Many nurses say that if you want pediatrics, to start on the peds floor and then transfer to PICU a year or two down the line if you want. Some people also say to start in newborn nursery before going to NICU, but as many hospitals don't really have full nurseries anymore, you might as well just go to NICU right off the bat. I can't speak about L&D though, because I don't have any experience there. But many L&D nurses say that adult med-surg experience won't really help you in that area, so I'm guessing they hire new grads as well.

Good luck!

I was hired directly into L&D, I don't think that med-surg is absolutely necessary beforehand. Many employers find it a valuable assest because pregnant mom's can have the save health problems as other adults. But, I felt I did not want to go that route because I was so eager to get into L&D and start learning. After several years experience I don't think it will matter one way or another. Even experienced nurses come across things they have never seen before. Experience in Med-Surg won't guarantee that you will know everything beforehand.

Yes you get paid for orientation (god i would hope so!!!!)

And yes you can also specialize right out of nursing school (we have a shortage luckily!!)