What's my best path to the nursing job I want?

Published Mar 4, 2005

5 Posts

I'm starting nursing school in one week (!!) and currently work as a tech on a med/surg floor. My short-term goal is to work as a labor-delivery/post-partum nurse. Long term goal is to become a women's health nurse practitioner.

So here are my questions:

The hospital I work for is getting ready to open a new post-partum wing in the near future. Jobs haven't been posted yet but I'm considering talking to a recruiter in HR and asking about getting a tech position on that unit. My thoughts are that it will give me the apparently needed L&D/PP experience needed to successful get a job as that kind of nurse when I graduate. Is that true?

Also, am I giving up vital experience as a tech on a med/surg floor if I can switch over to PP? I'm asking because my floor currently gets overflow PP patients and they are not nearly as complicated as our med/surg patients. No chest tubes, drains, etc.

Lastly, since my long-term goal is to be a nurse practitioner...is it better to get critical care experience (ICU) when I graduate instead of trying to get an L&D position? Or would working as a L&D/PP nurse prepare me for entering a WHNP program?

I'm sure these questions may seem a bit premature since I'm just now starting the program, but it's a 14 month ADN program. So really by this time next year I'll really be looking for jobs and want that experience under my belt.

Anyway, I just found allnurses recently and have LOVED reading the forums so I'm hoping some of you have great advice!

Thanks!

karen