SteelGrey

I started in L&D. I feel like NICU and L&D can cross paths at times, like if your a NICU nurse attending a c-section or a high risk birth etc if thats how your facility runs things. but I feel they are different specialties. L&D for me is ER for pregnant peoples. We do all OB triage...so think every possible thing someone comes for--bleeding at 13 weeks, round ligament pain, high blood pressure, premature rupture of membranes, --literally everything from nothing, to blowing out a baby in the parking lot or hallway. Then of course regular labor/births, inductions, PRE E MFM type pt's, scheduled and crash c-sections. My good friend is in NICU and it can be a much more specialized/focused skills set " NICU" experiences are also going to be dictated by the level of care your NICU provides. Working at a special care nursery doing feeder growers is going to be a lot different than your states level IV NICU that is going train and expose you to caring for the highest level of care and intervention. Do you like critical care? I think its important to think about the reality of what a job is day to day and your personality type. Do you wanna fly by the seat of your pants? Do you like structure and predictability? You say Nursery..... Maybe postpartum/ mother baby is something you would like to consider also or what you meant ? Good luck! lot's to think about ?

I have seen some same day turn around stuff but its typically covid specific and crisis oriented--like may be temporary. A regular FT job unrelated to this may take time due to the priority being on the pandemic staffing. Also, may be area specfic. I'm in New York and if you still have a pulse and a nursing licence they know about you and are hitting you up

If Covid is your deciding factor then you shouldn't be working in general- it is everywhere the people are, which is everywhere. However, sounds like staying home isn't an option, so I would take the job with good pay that you perceive as your dream job. Hang tight mama! Best of luck regardless of what you choose. Stay safe!

Girl -brush the dust off you pants, and get going! Take the NCLEX and get grooving. Even if OB was impossible to get into right away, it is possible. Be willing to try other things to gain experience and use as a stepping stone! There is soo much awesome stuff in Nursing, but you can't shrivel up and die if every single move doesn't go as planned. And you didn't even try, so you can't even say it's not possible. I got into L&D as a new grad--its totally possible, you just need to be aggressive, motivated and never give up. Also, you could freaking hate OB once your actually the nurse and you find out your responsibilities, and realities of the job. Birth is amazing, but theres are a good 11 hours or so of a 12 hour shift spent doing things that are not glamorous and amazing. But don't despair, you said you liked the OR. You don't know what you don't know. The sky is the limit. You got this.

It's cool to let go of OB and do something different! The beauty of nursing. If you still feel like you want to be in OB though, consider L&D, high risk antepartum or NICU ( if you have a higher level one) for some more action. I liked L&D cause it was like ER for pregnant people. Depending on how your L&D is set up and the acuity of the hospital, ever single shift is different and sh*t hits the fan fast. Also, the boat loads of monitoring and documenting keeps your brain sharp. Plus, if you do triage, you get to see all kinds of complications, emergencies, labs, scans, monitoring, diagnostics, multiples, genetic disorders, etc, again depending on the level of care your L&D can provide. Plus, you get to use your NRP, at deliveries and fetal monitoring interpretations & interventions. I like the autonomy of when I see X occurring on my strip , I just start doing my interventions. Lots of great team work in L&D too. Most every nurse on L&D who ever got floated to mother baby hates it, because it is generally very routine, and with all the key points you mentioned. But some people love it, and I can totally see why too ? You will find your way back to something you are happy with!

Go for it! There is nothing wrong with liking something new or dare I say being comfortable, happy and enjoying your job. As previous poster recommended, you could always cross train in the future into L&D if you want more excitement in the future- I call it ER for pregnant peoples ? Also NICU, but that would be closer to the 12 hours of ICU your used to and trying to get away from depending on the acuity of NICU’s around you.

If transferring to a different unit is an option, I would look into it! As some people mentioned, you may not actually hate bedside, just the shitastic situation your in now- i totally would be ready to quit too! You are only human! . I have worked a specialty where we had horrible staffing, policies, etc and it made me hate it, worked same specialty at a different facility and acuity level and LOVE IT. Nursing is hard, and its even harder when your new and feel like your drowning, and the relentless calling & pressure is crippling. You will find something or a better situation! Don't give up!

Wow, sounds like you have lots of great things going on in your future. I went right into L&D, and I feel like it is its own beast. Obviously great to come in with basic nursing skills, but it's definatley something you could also jump into head on. with the right residency and support. Obviously, if your not comfortable diving into a niche, then yes Med surg is a great way to get lots of experience. I find most people end up hating it, and want to quit/just waiting for their magical one year to be up. But with a sweet crew and a good attitude, it is what you make of it! You say you have a love affair with cardiac? That may be a great in between as to not be 100 percent all over place short stay med surg, but not exclusively lady partss ( L&D). Personally, if it's just between m/s & cardiac, I would go for the acute care. Having ACLS, and good critical care experience would open many doors. Good luck!

Graham crackers/saltines and peanut butter from the nutrition room, or if I'm feeling salty, chicken broth. Jello for dessert. haha, Hmm.. I try to keep protein based stuff- cheese sticks, jerky, bars, greek yogurt. really quick things that keep you full. Big meals do slow me down, so I just wait to enjoy them when Im not working.

Get into a different unit or specialty with a lower patient load. The world is your oyster, don’t let not being able to handle 7 patients on a floor job break you. No one should have that ratio!

You fell asleep/were impaired because you couldn’t afford your heart medications because you spent 1000 dollars on gift cards that turned out to be a company ceo e-mail scam? Sorry, your story is super confusing. Maybe start again with the story? and contact a lawyer or your malpractice so you can make the best choice in handling situation.

Many hospitals have “new grad” residencies, that can apply to anyone under a year or experience. Reach out to some recruiters with these types of programs with your situation. You never know

I agree with some others, I think it was weird for a hospital to go through investing in all the hiring process and orientation and not offer you to transfer to a lower acuity floor setting to gain skills, etc. Regardless, cut yourself some slack! You will get to where you think you want to be eventually. Don’t give up!

I would get into a new grad ICU residency and tell her to have a nice day ?

The “Dialysis Inc” locations ( another company with locations in USA) do 13.5 /3 days a week hour days around here which is still alot! But seems to be the standard. If you can stick it out and get some experience, it may open more opportunities into different settings.