When To Specialize

As a new grad, I was hoping to get a job on L&D, but the hospitals around where I live are wanting the new grads to have at least 6 months on a general med floor before specialization.... I want to be ready to work on L&D, but I don't feel like the medical floor is my calling and don't want to hate my job so early in.... I guess my question is how long should I stay on medical before I try transferring to L&D to have a good foundation from medical?

It takes about two years to become competent as a new grad; and that's if you stay in your first job or one very similar to that. (I'm not making this up; Brenner says 2-3 years.) The first year is rough, and just about everyone hates their job for the first year. Even if they're lucky enough to land in their dream specialty, they hate their jobs at first. It used to be called "reality shock". The transition from student to nurse is a really rough one, and we all have to go through it. Crying before work, during work, after work, anxiety, fear of making a mistake, the sheer weight of the responsibility of being "the nurse" -- its all part of the first year.

Work the medicine floor, even if it's not your calling. After you get a good foundation and are competent, if you don't love your job then go looking for a new one.

Its Patricia Benner, not Brenner...just an fyi. But yeah whatever the LD requirement states, get experience that meets it. Acute care experience is general, not just med-surg. But find a fit where you can thrive and make it through that high risk burnout period of new-grad...if you hate your job from day one through 6 months, than unofficially you havent gained the kind of experience a hiring manager wants. You have to come to terms with being a nurse which means liking it--as least eventually -- b4 u tranfer. so may b 6 months, but likely will b longer if u hate your first job...

you know, a stepdown unit might not be a bad area to start either-we've had lots of new grads, and you will see plenty of diabetics, dialysis pts, hypertensions, etc, which are all co- morbidities that maternity may see. we've also seen a lot of cardiomyopathies lately secondary to pregnancy . These situations will all be useful in your future L and D job

Get that 6 months out of the way and start applying right after that. I started in my specialty straight out of nursing school and I'm doing just fine.

The first year is rough, and just about everyone hates their job for the first year. Even if they're lucky enough to land in their dream specialty, they hate their jobs at first. It used to be called "reality shock". The transition from student to nurse is a really rough one, and we all have to go through it. Crying before work, during work, after work, anxiety, fear of making a mistake, the sheer weight of the responsibility of being "the nurse" -- its all part of the first year.

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I landed in my dream specialty, ICU, and I didn't hate my first year. I loved it. It has been challenging and taught me how to critically think and gain sharp assessment skills. I've never cried before, during, or after work due to an experience I had there. My point is that specialty areas can work out very nicely for new graduates if they have adequate support.

I had 10 months of LTC rehab (mostly ortho-total joint) then I got hired as a new grad (the cut off was a year) in a specialty nurse residency (again ortho) for a year which included a one on one preceptor for six months. I hit the jackpot with that. It made my first year of hospital work great. I was also cross-trained on our sister unit which was uro/gyn/plastics/ENT (weird combo, I know).

If you can find a situation where they have specialty nurse residency, that is a great situation. Med/surg is a great place to start. You really learn a lot and it is very helpful. I have been in my current job 4 years and just now getting comfortable. 6 months-year, you still don't know what you don't know.