I’m wanting to get away from M/S. My dream is L&D and I’m interested in ER. I have LTC, Corrections, and Inpatient experience. I’m relocating to the DFW area soon. Any ideas on how I might break into a new specialty? Anything I can do to help myself?

If you are serious about L&D, I would look into some of the specialty certification classes that you'll be required to take, like NRP & ACLS (if you don't already have that). Get your foot in the door where you want to work, if you can't get into L&D right away. If no openinings, try starting out in the Mother-baby unit (postpartum). You'd be working closely with L&D nurses and have exposure there. Plus, at a later time, you could transfer to L&D, and it might be a lot easier if you're already working in Maternal-Child department and know the staff and managers. You'd still have to have at least NRP for M/B unit, and any other certifications your facility might require. It's fast paced, no 2 days are the same, and you'll get many experiences that no other department has. Same can be said of the ER, etc. These units tend to be tight-knit and usually have a high level of comraderie, especially necessary in the 'sudden' emergencies that sometimes arise. I worked the M/B unit for 38 years, and loved it. I would float to L&D (as a helper or taking pre-term patients), the newborn nursery, NICU and Peds. M/B was my 'home' and passion though. Loved being able to get new families off to their best possible start. It's not all 'roses and rainbows" though, there are some "bad" days, just like any other unit, but the good ones tend to make the 'bad' ones more bearable. Your med-surg experience will serve you well there, as these are just regular people, who happen to be having babies. Lots of them have co-morbidities and that can and do affect their health and potentially their baby's. You'll be dealing with TWO patients, not just one, so that dynamic will be new to you. And the families of the new parents ... ummmm, yes, the families. 😜. They can be either your biggest asset, or .. umm, not. With your experience, you should be in a good position, however, be ready to answer the question of how long do you see yourself doing this? Your orientation will Not be a 'short' one, and it will be very intense. They will be spending a good amount of time and $$ getting you oriented to their unit, policies, procedures and protocols (lots and lots of protocols), so they won't be willing to spend that on someone who wants to maybe try it out. Be able to be very honest about the different areas you've worked and why you changed specialties in the past, and what was learned from that. Highlight how you might see those as an asset in the new position you're seeking. Good luck in finding your new position. I'm retired now, YAY!!! I've passed on the baton to the next generation! 😍

I'd say you should talk to a nurse manager in an L/D unit you're interested in. Seeing that you have nursing experience already, that's great! You'd always be oriented anywhere you went, so I would start looking in the city that interests you and get on the phone or see if you can schedule a shadow day. That's the best way to get acquainted with staff, patient population and unit to see if this is really what you'd like to do and where you'd like to work.

I loved L/D, but worked in a high-risk, inner city hospital on nights and although rewarding, it can be emotional. Not always happy stories, but I still remember some of my patients today. Not sure how the DFW area is, but if this is really a unit you want to consider, get in there! Try a day with a seasoned nurse and ask all the questions! L/D nurses are a special breed. We have to jump in and help each other since there are women that come flying through the doors all the time and some are very emergent with co-morbidities or psych issues. Some are lovely laboring patients that have dream deliveries too. Being on a unit for a shift really is the best way to get a clear view. Good luck!

I hated L&D in school. Worked cardiac stepdown until I had my first child. Then all I wanted was to work L&D. I applied several times but never got hired. Trying to get a foot in the door I enrolled in a course so I could teach childbirth classes. Got hired before I could even teach one class, but I think it showed the manager how much I wanted it. Your experience is a positive. You can multitask and prioritize! I think your best bet is to apply at a hospital where you have some seniority. Be prepared to work midnight shift for awhile. Good luck!

Wait until you’ve been at your new job for 6 months and check into transferring to L&D. Hospitals always take their own people over outsiders. Good luck.

Parkland Hospital in Dallas is a teaching facility. That is where I would start. You could also look into UT Southwestern Hospital System as well. Baylor Health System or Medical City( HCA) are other hospitals as well. If you are going to be in the Fort Worth area, the teaching facility there is JPS or John Peter Smith Hospital. I hope this helps and good luck.

Every nurse should have experience in every field if you are intrested in labour and delivery first you shulould have exprience in that field

You will need courses in fetal monitoring for L&D AND Neonatal resuscitation if you have those certifications it would be extremely helpful then they would know you are serious.

I’m not sure what you mean by DFW! L& D is a diff field to get into without experience. But how do u get experience if no one ever hires you? Right? Well sometimes you have to be in the right place at the right time. You have great background experience but L &D is very specific Er may be easier route to start first and then try to get into the L&D area in the same hospital you are working in. Places are more likely to hire within the hospital(u r working in) because they can see ur employment record with them. Good luck with your search

If you have significant experience in Med Surge the world is your oyster! There’s a huge need for RNs in every department nearly nationwide so don’t be afraid to switch specialty’s. My wife is an L&D nurse and mostly loves it but the bad days are the worst in the world so keep that in mind.

Most L&D units would want nurses who are experienced..you have some experience under your belt and that will work on your favor even if is not OB….ER and L&D are very similar…we always say L&D is ER for pregnant patients… if you don’t get in it right away try ER, NICU and Mother/Baby and then transition into L&D…it will be easier once inside the hospital acute setting…..in the hospital where I used to work we were cross trained to L&D, Mother/Baby and NICU… so we could float within the maternity care center which is where these three specialties were located…loved it! go for it… but keep in mind… L&D will be as hectic and hard as ER… is not sweet and quiet like many think! Good luck! Make sure to have your ACLS, BLS, and PALS up to date …. NRP and Fetal Monitoring certifications you will be required to take once in the unit.. and I believe you will definitely understand better what you are learning while you are already working on it… most hospitals will provide the class after hiring…

Start planning and studying for certification. Get your neonatal resucitation cert.