[Kelly_the_Great]

Hi All...

I'm an LVN and will be graduating in May with BSN. As an LVN I've only worked in public health, home health and in a clinic - never in a hospital.

I accepted a job only 15 minutes from home at our rural hospital and am very excited! I'm very eager to actually work in my own community (lived here about 10 years now) instead of commuting an hour one way each day. In addition, I am looking forward to growing as a nurse and becoming more multifacted.

Anyways, I've began orientation (if you can call it that, very informal) as an LVN and will move into my new role as a GN, working fulltime after graduation. I knew I'd have to be pretty multifunctional; however, I didn't realize to what extent. Didn't realize I'd be taking care of the occ OB and neonate, you know? Also, didn't realize I'd be mixing my own IV meds, etc.

So, I'm definetly going to see if I can get more training in the OB/neonate area with their larger hospital. I just don't feel at all adequate. I mean, my second day I was caring for a couplet and it was all good but had the baby had distress, well, I would need a lot more training! And at that, I felt more comfortable taking care of the neonate than the nurse I was assigned to work with that day!

As we speak, I'm reviewing the PDA thread. I see this is going to be absolutely essential with the lack of pharmacy support.

Also, hopefully I'll be assigned a designated preceptor once I go fulltime instead of just whoever's available that day. Maybe things'll be be a little clearer then.

Please, if you guys can give me any suggestions at all, please share. I would really, really appreciate it.

[Kelly_the_Great]

Please, guys, any words of wisdom?

[grammyr]

I work in a small rural facility that has no OB at all. Any babies are delivered in the ED and shipped. Pharmacy leaves at 430pm and someone is on call, as is RT, Radiology and Lab. The best thing I ever learned working is know WHO to go to for help. If there is an experienced OB nurse you work with request to orient with her.

I learned more about nursing from LPNs and CNAs than I did from anybody. They are the people who can either help you out of the fire or let you get burned.

If you are looking for paper resources or PDA resources, I can't help a whole lot. I belong to a nurses book club and have many reference books I use when unusual stuff comes up. There are really good books out there
and a lot of them come in pocket size.

Good Luck, just don't forget DON'T PANIC, remember your basics and call for help.

[grammyr]

Also, you will learn a lot of things really quickly working in a rural hospital. I did and I love it. Teamwork takes on a whole new meaning in a 60 bed place with a total of 7-10 staff in house. Just ask questions and when you feel like you are about to ask a stupid question, just remember "The only stupid questions are the ones you DON"T ask"

[Kelly_the_Great]

Grammyr, thank you...