mudita

This is amazing and such a great idea! I started off as a new grad in L&D and it's rough. The orientation included AWHONN POEP training in concurrence with our shifts. Dedicated classroom time before hand would have probably built my confidence significantly, however. L&D is a difficult specialty, coming in with a solid knowledge base is important. I was lucky that my nursing school OB instructor prepared me in basic EFM and drills in most common emergency scenarios. Some of my new grad peers didn't have this and really struggled at the outset. To the original poster, I hope you are able to get some support. If management can not accommodate, it's very possible that this facility is not right for you. I know how hard it can be to get your dream position and then move on - I did exactly that. I too was feeling intense anxiety and slipping into depression for the first time in my life. I had major anxiety before every shift, so much that I would typically not be able to sleep. This got worse when I moved to nights. On the whole the unit was supportive, but there were a few nurses and providers that I dreaded working with. As others have suggested, see if you might be able to switch to a different preceptor. I know another nurse in my cohort was able to do this, and it improved her experience significantly. It's important to be with a preceptor who understands your style of learning and who promotes safety (good on you for checking your meds!). I'm not sure if it's worth talking to your current preceptor, it sounds like her heart isn't in teaching and it's concerning she's rushing you to pass medications. You will gain efficiency in time, but checking meds and lines especially is so important (if you unit doesn't have stickers to indicate lines for pitocin and magnesium, I suggest you look into them). There are a million little tasks the L&D nurse is responsible for completing, and prioritization is very important when developing efficiency. This takes time and practice, and I hope you find a preceptor who can support you in this. I'll put it out there that it's also possible to leave if this isn't the right fit for you. L&D is intense, and if your unit isn't able to work well together, it's going to be a hard place long term. Ultimately, I left my dream L&D position for something that fit my home/family life better. I couldn't be happier with my decision. The beautiful thing about nursing is there are so many different avenues available, you can feel trapped, but you rarely are. I really enjoy my job now, my work colleagues and patients. Other nurses I oriented with have moved to post partum and other facilities in L&D - by all reports they are much happier. So, while you don't want to throw away an opportunity, movement is possible!

It may be too late to chime in, but it was a question I navigated, so perhaps responding will help someone else. First, have you requested extra time to make your decision. Accepting a job is not something to be taken lightly, and a future employer might recognize this and agree to giving you an extra week to make your choice. Second, are you sure your first choice is really your first choice? This came into play when I was making a decision for my nurse residency. I was offered a position at a hospital I was barely considering, but at the interview and after talking to past and current nurses employed there, the position slowly inched it's way to my number one position. I accepted the position, still feeling unsure, but in the coming weeks the other two positions called off their search (I really wanted to start in L&D and one hospital emailed the day before the interview clarifying they were hiring to other units, but not L&D and the other facility pushed back the search and said they might be hiring new nurses in the January '24). I had been initially very tempted to hold out in hopes I would have another offer, but it's clear now that I made the right choice in accepting my first offer. The more I learn about the position and facility the happier I am with my choice, and if I knew coming into the job search what I know now about the unit it would absolutely be my first choice (the other facilities have experienced high turnover, whereas my unit has a large cohort of experienced nurses and thus the capacity to support, train and mentor me; furthermore, the retention speaks to a healthy workplace and high job satisfaction). That said, if you know that your top choice is going to be the best fit for you, and you feel confident in their hiring process, it may be appropriate to hold out. This is a big decision, and I don't think you should settle. Nurses are in demand and hospitals are hiring, so I think it is safe to anticipate you will receive another offer (at your first choice or otherwise). One point to consider is new residency start dates and if by chance if you are not offered your first choice position does that set you months behind for the next round of application, or are there other options that will be available? At the facilities I've been looking at, residencies typically run biannually or quarterly each year. But, in the city where I went to nursing school it seems that some facilities accept new nurses on a monthly basis.