Why is postpartum so hard to get into?!?!

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Specializes in High-risk OB, Labor & Delivery.

I am astonished how difficult it has been to get into post-partum nursing. This I ALL I want to do and I am so frustrated :-(

I have my NRP, ACLS (I know we don't need it), Master's Degree, a strong interest in maternal-child health, and a little over a year of experience in telemetry/step down nursing, background in health education and research. I handle high acuity, complex patients every week...I know I can handle postpartum with some training.

Every single post partum job advertisement I have seen requires post-partum experience, which makes sense, but how do people transition to this area!?!? I am planning to get my CLE (eventually IBCLC) because I think that would make me more marketable and knowledgable. I have searched high and low and have not found any training programs in post-partum. Though I have found one for L&D, but that is not what I'm interested in.

Any advice??? Any training programs? Any hope?

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Specializes in Ante-Intra-Postpartum, Post Gyne.

Willing to move to California?

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Specializes in High-risk OB, Labor & Delivery.

That's part of the irony/problem! I AM in California. Everywhere I've looked in CA requires previous postpartum experience (i.e. no training programs). I am actually starting to look out of state because I just cant find anything here in CA.

Willing to move to California?
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Specializes in NICU/Subacute/MDS.

Every single post partum job advertisement I have seen requires post-partum experience........

This sentence applies to all units of the hospital, it seems. Every job posting out there is asking for experienced nurses. New grads are having a horrible time getting their feet in the hospital door, and now so are those with exp in other depts. I'm sure you must be frustrated!

Perhaps the facility you work at has a cross-training program? Or, can you work as float nurse and jump at every maternal/child opportunity available?

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Specializes in Ante-Intra-Postpartum, Post Gyne.

We are short on my unit, but it is LDRP so you would have to be willing to eventually train to do occasional L&D. It is usually easiest to get into OB nursing if you work M/S in that hospital and then transfer to OB, a lot of people have to start out on M/S with the desire to go into OB after they "put their time in" and current employees are going to have more chances of getting a spot than some one from out side. Since you are in California have you considered doing and externship? It could get you experience and a leg up. It does not pay, you pay. Student nurses usually do it, but nurses with their license can sign up too, for the very reason of getting experience in another department or coming back after being out of the field for awhile. Chico State has it and has placement sites all over rural areas of California. IM me if you want more information.

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