to specialize or not?

[MerdalRN]

Hi All!

I will be graduating ADN in May, and am (hopefully) looking to be doing Maternity/LDR nursing. My question to all of you is... should I try and specialize off the bat or should I do the med/surg thing for a while?

While I am fully capable in Med/Surg, my passion has always been Maternity. Even before nursing school. Is is wise to try and find an externship position in maternity or just see what is out there for jobs?

With graduation pending.. I'm getting job anxiety!!

[SmilingBluEyes]

If OB is your goal, for go for it. Med-surg and OB are night/day. And while you will get great experience in M/S nursing, when and if you do move to OB you will have a whole new world of things to learn....that will take a lot of time.

I went straight to OB 10 years ago after graduating, no regrets.

[Clarise]

I am graduating in May and will be specializing in postpartum. I hate medsurge and would be miserable if I had to work one day on a medsurge floor. I will take any shift or day, just as a long as it is on a postpartum floor. I know this is what I want to do and don't care if it limits me for future career moves.

Good luck!

[MerdalRN]

Thanks ladies!

Clarise I feel the same way... while I can do it, I don't especially care for med/surg. I think that if I try and get a job at one of the smaller local hospitals I will have a better chance to go right to L&D vs trying to hit a major hospital.

[sirI, MSN, APRN, NP]

hello, merdalrn2b and welcome to allnurses.com

so good to have you with us!!

i say go for it. if ob is your love - seek those positions.

hope you enjoy the site. good luck with the remainder of your program and nclex!!

[MerdalRN]

Thanks Siri!

I really think I'm going to see what I can find within L&D to start.. so what if I have to work crappy shifts! I'll be doing what I love! :monkeydance: