When I was a freshmen in high school, my friend’s mom was a Labor and Delivery nurse. She talked about her job often, and I always found her stories fascinating. I would ask tons of questions, and she noticed I was super interested in OB nursing so she invited me, her daughter, and a group of students from our class, to come to the hospital and show us around. She took us to a class room and talked to us about her job. Showed us different instruments used during labor, and described the process. She even showed us real placenta. Everyone found it gross and uninteresting, but honestly I loved every minute of it. I knew that’s what I wanted to do when I grew up. No other career excited me in any way. Well I graduated high school, went to college and got into nursing school.
Once I was in nursing school, I realized that half the nursing students in my cohort wanted OB. I was shocked and disappointed that area was so popular. There are only 3 delivery hospital areas in my area, so obviously not all of us could work there. I also looked online and found out how popular this specialty was, and how extremely difficult it is to get into. My heart sunk. All this work for a pipe dream, when I thought it was a realistic plan. During my clinical rotation I met a nurse that told me she applied to OB several times in the last ten years and couldn't get in. From what I saw she was an excellent nurse, so if she can’t get in, how can I. I was an average student. I absolutely loved learning and my clinical rotations, but nothing about me stands out as an excellent nurse. Other students in my cohort were much smarter, and far more gifted. I’m just OK. I feel like I wasted my life. Other areas of nursing are fine, but not anywhere near as exciting and special to me. I had one day in clinical at the labor and delivery unit, and I thought, this is it! I’ll never work here, but at least I had one day to live my dream. Best day of nursing school ever, even cried after. I graduated nursing school and never took the NCLEX. Every time I sat down to study I got depressed. I feel sick when I think about nursing, and now don’t know what to do. My family is extremely disappointed in me not taking the NCLEX, and just having a minimum wage job. I’m thinking about taking the NCLEX and getting a normal floor job, even though it doesn’t have a strong appeal to me. I feel like an idiot, and wish I could back in time an punch myself. Why did I think it would be so easy? I also had a clinical in the OR and loved it. I looked it up and found out that was hard to get into also but not impossible. from what I understand the hospitals only accept pari-op once a year and there is no guarantee of getting a seat. Any advice would help.
Don't look at other nursing jobs as failures. Look at them as stepping stones. You have no nursing experience. You need an entry level job. So pass your NCLEX and find an entry level job. If you decide OR or OB is still your dream, pursue one of those positions once you are proficient at basic nursing practice and time management skills.
Thank you! This is exactly what I'm going to do. You are right, I was looking at a regular floor job as a failure, which was wrong. Becoming proficient a basic nursing practice should have always been my goal. I think I just assumed I could skip the hard part and just dive in. I will most definitely become a better nurse after a year of Med-Surg. I won't stop pursuing my dream, even if it takes me years.
Specializes in Psychiatry, Community, Nurse Manager, hospice.
On 3/21/2020 at 10:48 PM, RubyJuly2020 said:
When I was a freshmen in high school, my friend’s mom was a Labor and Delivery nurse. She talked about her job often, and I always found her stories fascinating. I would ask tons of questions, and she noticed I was super interested in OB nursing so she invited me, her daughter, and a group of students from our class, to come to the hospital and show us around. She took us to a class room and talked to us about her job. Showed us different instruments used during labor, and described the process. She even showed us real placenta. Everyone found it gross and uninteresting, but honestly I loved every minute of it. I knew that’s what I wanted to do when I grew up. No other career excited me in any way. Well I graduated high school, went to college and got into nursing school.
Once I was in nursing school, I realized that half the nursing students in my cohort wanted OB. I was shocked and disappointed that area was so popular. There are only 3 delivery hospital areas in my area, so obviously not all of us could work there. I also looked online and found out how popular this specialty was, and how extremely difficult it is to get into. My heart sunk. All this work for a pipe dream, when I thought it was a realistic plan. During my clinical rotation I met a nurse that told me she applied to OB several times in the last ten years and couldn't get in. From what I saw she was an excellent nurse, so if she can’t get in, how can I. I was an average student. I absolutely loved learning and my clinical rotations, but nothing about me stands out as an excellent nurse. Other students in my cohort were much smarter, and far more gifted. I’m just OK. I feel like I wasted my life. Other areas of nursing are fine, but not anywhere near as exciting and special to me. I had one day in clinical at the labor and delivery unit, and I thought, this is it! I’ll never work here, but at least I had one day to live my dream. Best day of nursing school ever, even cried after. I graduated nursing school and never took the NCLEX. Every time I sat down to study I got depressed. I feel sick when I think about nursing, and now don’t know what to do. My family is extremely disappointed in me not taking the NCLEX, and just having a minimum wage job. I’m thinking about taking the NCLEX and getting a normal floor job, even though it doesn’t have a strong appeal to me. I feel like an idiot, and wish I could back in time an punch myself. Why did I think it would be so easy? I also had a clinical in the OR and loved it. I looked it up and found out that was hard to get into also but not impossible. from what I understand the hospitals only accept pari-op once a year and there is no guarantee of getting a seat. Any advice would help.
The only real failure in life is failure to try. Everything else is a learning experience.
Take the NCLEX. OB is tough to get into but not impossible, and very doable if you are willing to relocate. It is only impossible for you if you don't take NCLEX.
First I want to say, You’re not a complete idiot. I wanted to be a labor and delivery nurse as well when I was in nursing school. At the time new grads were not hired there. So, I took a med/surg position just to get experience. Approximately a year later I saw a labor and delivery position at the same hospital and decided to apply. I got the job! Don’t give up. Take the NCLEX and get experience as a nurse. You never know when the opportunity will come so you can live your dream!
Sometimes the path to get what you want is very twisty and takes a few turns you might have been expecting, but it's the lessons and experience you gain from those that help you get to where you want to go.
I really wanted to be a vet when I was a kid. I dreamed of working with animals and living on a huge old farm where my life was surrounded by all kinds of creatures. Turns out my anaphylaxis level allergies to dogs *might* have ended that path for me. I was sad, but threw myself into a new path, being a teacher. I worked hard at that and enjoyed it a lot. For a while it was pretty good, but the draw to work in medical came back. While I'm not a vet, or a teacher anymore, I do help people now and I wouldn't be the nurse I am today without that side jaunt into teaching. I find that my background in teaching has helped my nursing career. The nursing jobs I have had each add a new layer to my nursing career.
My point is we can learn from each experience and that will help us on our path of where we want to go. So you might not get into L&D right away, but the experiences you gain on your path will help you nail that interview when you do get there. Be open to all the experiences you can get as they will only help you as you move forward.
Focus your energies on your NCLEX and then find a nursing job, any nursing job even if it's not L&D, learn as much as you can, and then go full force towards your dream.
Specializes in Psych, Addictions, SOL (Student of Life).
My first nursing Job was in OB and I went straight in on an interim permit. But that was back in the day when you could walk into see the unit manager ], get an interview and win them over with your good looks and charm. It's so much harder that in the world of on-line applications and interviews. If you really want to break into OB I would suggest you take courses on your time and your own expense (You'll get CEUs and the cost is tax deductable) take every certification you can for L&D, LDRP, NRP etC.... Focus on an area with a high birth rate. Remember we are set to have another Baby boom in 2021 so it might be easier to break in then.
Good Luck to you, It's a fun and happy specialty except for the times it's not.
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RubyJuly2020
21 Posts
Thank you! This is exactly what I'm going to do. You are right, I was looking at a regular floor job as a failure, which was wrong. Becoming proficient a basic nursing practice should have always been my goal. I think I just assumed I could skip the hard part and just dive in. I will most definitely become a better nurse after a year of Med-Surg. I won't stop pursuing my dream, even if it takes me years.