Wanting to change specialities

[kenesha212002]

I have been working in a critical care unit for a year. Recently I took a travel assignment on a cardiopulmonary stepdown unit. But....I have been very interested in labor and delivery lately. I think it would be so interesting to learn and the closer I get to bearing a child myself I want to transition into this specialty.

Is it hard for a nurse to transition into this specialty? Could I be hired and trained in labor and delivery or should I try and find a hospital with an internship program? Any advice would be greatly appreciated.

[NJNursing, ASN, RN]

I'd do the internship program, personally. There is SOOOO much to learn about L & D. The post-partum part I think is the easiest. Labor is harder, but with your CCU experience it'll help with fetal monitoring. Then there's all of the frantic things that need to be done in the first 15 minutes after birth to remember then the whole newborn assessment thing and breastfeeding (if warranted). Then you have to learn triage, PACU and OR which are totally all different in their own right. I was overwhelmed in the beginning, but now with some med-surg experience under my belt I think I could take it better now than when I was a fresh new-grad.

[SmilingBluEyes]

If you can find an internship, that is certainly the best way to go. However a good, solid orientation would do as you do have a very good knowledge base. Look for no less than 3-6 months' fulltime orientation. CCU/ICU nurses tend to make excellent OB nurses. GOOD LUCK!!!