What about Psych to OB?

[CosmicHymns, BSN, RN]

Hello everyone,

I'm a fairly new RN (graduated Dec. '12) with extensive psych experience from jobs before nursing. I've been working on the behavioral health floor for about 13 months (out of my 2 year contract with the hospital) and I'm itching for more medical experience before I move on to a bigger metropolitan area. Yes, we have the occasional patient with multiple Axis III dxs but I've done very few IVs, foleys, etc.

There's a position open on Women's Center (combined L&D, PPand I'm considering applying for it but I'm not sure of the chances of me actually getting the job based on the fact that I have as much medical experience as a new grad. The position specifically states no new grads but technically I'm not. I work nights and I'm used to a pretty slow pace with the occasional flare up or agitated patient.

Does anyone have any advice for what I should do or expect? I know this is a little vague but I'm concerned that without medical experience I won't be taken seriously anywhere.

Thanks everyone =]

[iPink, BSN, RN]

Apply for the position. You may want to take an IV insertion course at the local community college (if one is available). Not sure if it's available at your hospital, but at mine, we have "Skills Fairs" at ours once in a while for everyone wanting to brush up on certain skills (foley's, IV's, etc.). Find out if one exists at your hospital.

My Women's Hospital has L&D, Recovery, and PP separated. Before I transferred to Postpartum, I was on a critical care floor for a year and wasn't great at starting IV's. Even the experienced nurses I worked with wasn't the best and we were spoiled with just asking the experts insert one for us when we needed it. Luckily for me, on Postpartum I remove IVs more than starting them. However, when it calls for a newborn to get an IV, they usually sleep through the entire process.

If you don't get into the LDRP at the Women's Center, you can also try applying to other areas there just to get your foot in the door then make your move to a more desirable area.