PP RN trying to change specialties: L and D or NICU

[MissJessRN]

Hello all, I am an experienced RN with almost 2 years in hospital on Postpartum/Antepartum unit and float to L and D triage and PACU. I have applied to ICU /NICU and to L and D however the recruiters tell me that I do not have "full L and D experience" as in I havent been trained in the OR or labor rooms. A recruiter called me to interview and then the nurse manager interviewed me and told me that I "do not have full L and D experience". Well we have antepartums on the postpartum floor and we also float to L and D and help as needed. And as for needing medsurg for ICU ( no calls for interviews from ICU), well we do medsurg skills with the pregnant and post preg patients (except feeding tubes and chest tubes). I do not understand why it is an issue, new grads get hired into these units all the time and I would need a lot less orientation than a new grad. Most nursing skills are transferrable. Anyone have any advice? Thanks in advance.

[klone, MSN, RN]

The problem is these places are not looking for a new grad, they're looking for someone who is already trained in the position that they can put into the role with minimal orientation.

It's really hard to switch specialties as an experienced nurse, because you're neither a new grad (for which they have a budget and expect to spend a long orientation period) nor a nurse experienced in that specialty, who will be able to jump in after a week of orientation.

Does your current facility offer cross-training? Are the L&D and postpartum units completely separated? Your best opportunity would be with cross-training at your current facility.

[MissJessRN]

Thanks for the reply. The cross training was that we got trained in L and D triage and their PACU (post C-section/other Obgyn procedures). They do not train us in the OR or in labor rooms (although we have antepartums go into labor on our floor, so i dealt with labor before more than a few times). Makes zero sense becomes sometimes we float and the L and D nurses and managers say they wish we could do OR etc also. However the nurse director of the department did not approve complete cross training for us. I am waiting for a transfer within my hospital also...but it seems the nursing directors prefer to take new grads or RNs from outside the hospital with non-L and D experience, or those within the hospital with some other experience such as Psych or medsurg before one of us from their sister unit. A coworker of mine was on postpartum for 5 years before they finally transfer her to L and D. Makes no sense why RNs from the unit most closely related to L and D get picked last when a position opens up.

[calgrrl]

I am a PP nurse with close to the same amount of experience as you and have just been hired to an L&D position. I was careful during my interviews to be very specific about the type of antenatal patients I cared for and the assistance I provided to L&D. Do you float as a baby nurse or do you actually work as the labor nurse? As you know, there's a clear difference. Have you taken fetal monitoring classes yet? I took beginning and intermediate before getting my position. I have also worked in a birth center with midwives since before I had my PP job, so I have experience taking care of laboring patients, as limited as that may be for a hospital setting. I also called different hospitals and asked how to best qualify for their L&D positions. One suggested I take L&D training from UCSD extension, as they offer an actual course on obstetrics for nurses. Perhaps you can find out if there is anything similar to that in your area. It will make you a strong candidate if it shows you have a true interest instead of just expecting a transfer.

As far as medsurg, you know there is a big difference between caring for our patients than caring for medsurg patients. I mean, we have a very specific population whereas medsurg gets a whole spectrum of patients. If you have a strong interest in critical care, I imagine a transfer to medsurg for 3-6 months will garner you the experience you need to make you a strong candidate for ICU.

These are very different avenues. Good luck.

[MissJessRN]

You are right, ICU (even NICU) and L and D are quite different. They are both interests for me so I hope one works out. We are trained on fetal monitoring already and I will register for the class and take the exam. I have taken continuing ed class in ICU topics and inpatient OB exam prep, etc. Nothing results from it not even in my hospital. The unit manager says they need more staff but the department director says she has no openings when i ask her :/