Preceptorship application

[NurseJeanB]

So it is time for us to put in our preceptorship application and we have the choice of asking for a specialty or taking basic Med Surg. The school recommends everyone take basic med surg. One of my teachers has indicated that because I am an older student on my second career that I just go for the specialty I want. From the beginning I have wanted to do labor and delivery, but I am told that as for hiring the local hospitals don't hire new grads into the specialties and that just recently there is no nursing shortage and they aren't hiring at all. Two people who graduated in December and already worked for them did not get hired. Another person told me that there are peaks and valleys and the local hospitals are in a valley. We don't graduate until December so the situation may change. (I am hoping) Otherwise I may have to think about commuting to rural areas or moving.

My question is this should I go ahead and apply to preceptor in labor and delivery? Eventually I am considering going on and getting a Master's in Nurse Midwifery or should I just ask for Med Surg as it would mean a wider range of jobs should jobs become available?

I am really torn because I want to be in labor and delivery, but then I don't have any greatly negative feelings towards med surg and I would hate to graduate and not be able to find a job.

[NurseJeanB]

Does no one have any suggestions, advice, tips for me on this? I would really appreciate some help.

Thanks

[Purple_Scrubs, BSN, RN]

That's a tough call. I would normally say go for the specialty, but given the job situation it makes it a harder decision. If you took the specialty, it might give you an advantage to possibly be hired into L&D, even though they don't normally take new grads (I got hired on at the place that I did my preceptorship).

Also, if you take the L&D preceptorship, I don't think it would hurt you in getting into a new grad position on Med/Surg if that is all that is available, since they pretty much know they are going to have to train new grads anyway. You could always just downplay the fact that you did your preceptorship on L&D. Then, later when you want to switch to L&D, you can play up the preceptorship to get the job over someone with no L&D experience.

So, I guess I would recommend the L&D preceptorship, especially since one of your instructors advised the same. Good luck!