ICU or OB/GYN Nursing, I need info!

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Specializes in Med-Surg.

Okay, I am really trying to decide what path to take as far as specialty goes when I graduate and join the Air Force. As stated before, I have always thought I wanted ICU but still have questions on whether that is the best fit for me (I do like my externship experience which is in the ICU but want to make sure this is where I want to be). I am looking at either ICU or OB/GYN nursing. I already have a lot of info about ICU nursing in the Air Force, I just need information on OB/GYN nursing in the Air Force (nurse to patient ratio, work hours). Also when I first talked to a recruiter, I was told that you could go in right after you graduate either to Med-Surg (if I wanted to eventually go ICU) or straight in to OB/GYN, and if you went the OB/GYN route they kept you there. Is this true and if so does that mean if I chose OB/GYN that my NTP would consist of L&D and postpartum training? I also read a post earlier (2006) that stated they were transitioning the OB/GYN to civilian nurses and that this specialty would be obsolete for active military AF nurses in the near future. Need to know if anyone has heard anymore on this also.

Any insight from any L&D/postpartum military nurses would be great or from anyone that may have general information. I need to make a decision! Thanks a bunch...:)

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hey i don't know too much but i am just not going into the air force and i chose the OB track and my understanding is that if you do choose this track you have to do OB for five years and then you can move to a different area. i have heard if you wanted to do NICU, Peds, PedsNP, NeonateNP, or Womens Health NP this is the track you should choose but if you want to do regular ICU, CRNA, ER that type of thing you should choose medsurg...I know this isn't much info but hopefully it helps a bit. Also if you do OB for 5 years and then dont like it I believe you can move.

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Specializes in Med-Surg.

Thank you so much for your response! I was starting to think noone was going to respond. If I read your post right, you are just now going into the AF (post above said not, thought maybe it was a type O)? :)

So would the nurse transition program(NTP) be strictly OB/GYN training? If I took this route, then I would definitely be interested in Women's Health Nurse Practitioner. I think I am going to do OB/GYN for my capstone my last semester of my senior year (spring of '08). That way I should have a good idea of what I want to go into since I am externing in critical care this summer.

If you find out any other information, please let me know (such as nurse-patient ratio, etc)...I would really appreciate it! Thanks a bunch!

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i meant now...lol i can't type. anyway i am not sure if NTP is just labor and delievery or a little of everything I know there are alot of classes involved and some management experience during it. I go to COT in August then NTP in September so I can let you know. I know for a fact that they need Womens Health Practioners in the AF because the cheif nurse I did my interview with told so.I would assume the nurse patient ratios for OB are probably 1-2 on L&D and 4-5 on Mother Baby but I dont know that for a fact. My other advice is to start applying early because the application process takes a while I started applying in April of my Junior year, completed my application in August and it went to the board in November and I found out I had been accepted in December. It is a drawn out process but totally worth it in my opinion. DO they still have the loan repayment and sign on bonus? You should definitly keep in touch and I will give you my knowledge as I get it.

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Specializes in Med-Surg.

I have already started the application process (also started it in the last semester of my junior year). In fact, my recruiter wants to have my packet completed by this July. I am waiting to hear from him as far as when my MEPs physical is going to be scheduled. So far, things are going smoothly. I hope I don't run into any snags. Definitely keep in touch and let me know how things are going (COT and NTP). I'm really excited about the whole thing! Also, let me know how you like OB. By the way, where are you going to be stationed after NTP?

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Hi Jazzy ,

I am trying to decide which ave to go also when I graduate I like both ICU and Ob my ob head nurse said it takes years to be ready to fly on your own so to speak bc things can change in an instant and you have to know waht to do. CVICU or ICU i am told is a three month training. so what did you end up doing and can you give any advice

please and thanks

Tuffy2

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