Brand New LPN starting on postpartum floor

[Zoomnurse08]

i just landed a job as an lpn on the postpartum floor and don't know exactly what to expect. can anyone give me some insight on what to look forward to when i start working there next month. any information or advice would be great.

[Jules A, MSN]

Congratulations! What a cool first LPN job! Don't have any experience other than my clinical rotations but I bet there is a section under the speciality boards that would have info. Good luck.

[pagandeva2000, LPN]

From what I remember hearing, you'll be medicating them (and I hear that most-but not all- may be light meds), taking vitals (also the baby, if they are lodging with mom), teaching breast feeding, observing for post partum complications and reporting them to the RNs. Not a bad place to be.

[MzMouse]

Congratulations!

[kat7ap]

Congrats on your new job! I've been working in postpartum (we call it mother-baby) for about 1.5 years. It's hard to say exactly what your hospital will have you doing, but where I work LPN and RNs are doing about the same job. I am responsible for 3-4 mother baby couplets. I do full assessments on mom and baby at least once a shift. For mom this includes checking fundus, lochia, breasts, perineum and/or incision. Baby is a complete head to toe assessment. I also admit new patients from L&D. I receive new lady partsl deliveries as soon as 1.5 hours after birth and 2 hours after birth for a new c-section.

I usually have one discharge per shift. Along the way I am doing lots of patient teaching, assisting with breastfeeding, assisting pts to the BR, giving PO and IV push meds, IV fluids and IV PB antibiotics, taking new orders, and then of course dealing with any complications or issues as they arise. I always have an RN partner who I can go to if I need help. It's a great speciality to get into, but some nurses really underestimate how much work it can really be! In other areas of the hospital they think we "cuddle babies all day" - so far from the truth!

[Fiona59]

Did you do an OB clinical time at school?

Kat7ap pretty much described what happens at my hospital but left out the c-section care (they get a 72 hour stay here). Staples are removed usually just before discharge.

Our hospital is one of the busiest in the province and on a normal day we would send home four and admit three into their beds, so you could have a total of 5-9 patients plus babes over your shift.

The paperwork is never ending on top of the teaching.

You'll have your hand full!

[Jeepgirl48, BSN, RN]

I've worked postpartum for 4 years and it is a pretty great job. At my hospital we (LPNS) do most of the teaching to the moms which is quite a lot. We give them meds as well. We also take care of the newborn (hep B, PKU, etc). We have pod nursing so I have a RN and a NA with me. The RN has to do the actual assessment in the AM but usually the LPN will check Mom in the afternoon. We have 5-6 patient on any given day. We also take care of antepartums but usually that is just giving meds.

congrats to you, I'm sure you'll enjoy it.

[smyle2156]

congrats, this sounds like a great first job!!!

[AngelaLPN08]

I'm jealous! I want a job like that! Congrats!

[Goldie_Ferragamo]

congrats on the new job!

[Zoomnurse08]

many thanks to everyone for your input it is greatly appreciated. i feel very lucky and thank god every day for this opportunity. i had clinicals on this floor and loved every second of it so i am looking forward to working and learning crucial nursing skills.

[lovablelvn]

Hi Everyone~

I am very excited to find out (yesterday) that I landed my DREAM job on PP. I will be working nights. I was wondering if anyone had advice or could let me in on what NOC nurses do on PP. I am ready for the challenge. I start all the classes in 2 weeks and am totally ready. Thanks for any advice... either on working nights or PP. :redbeathe