by spudpatch

I am a male nursing student about to begin my OB/LD rotation. My concerns are not with the “male nurse/female patient” interaction, but more of working in an area in which I have no previous experience. In Med-Surg there is a plan of care and an expected outcome toward improving the patient’s health… OB seems like an entirely different animal! If there are any RNs, mothers or fathers who would like to share both positive and negative experiences while working in this field (and it does not have to be reserved to male RNs). Just give me an idea of what works and what doesn’t as well as what will help me survive! Thank you very much for your input.

Re: Male RNs & Obstetrics

not for nothing are midwifes called 'madwifes' over here!

I would say remember that pregnant women are just that.. pregnant. they are otherwise fit and well (normally). they just happen to be pregnant! it is a normal thing.. no need to medicalise it. so please dont treat pregnancy as an illness..

also remember that pregnant woman tend (and this from personal experiance) to get mushy brained. I once ran a ward round very efficiently.. made tea afterwards and put all the mugs of tea in the ward fridge.. then couldnt remember what i had done with the tea! it is very frustrating because suddenly your brain doesnt function properly. I'd go shopping and walk home.. leaving the car at the shops having totally forgotten I had taken it! so we forget things...

your comment about med-surg having a plan of care with an expected outcome is intersting.. in pregnancy there is also a plan of care.. and hopefully an outcome that screams the place down at 2am! maybe adjust your thinking away from this being a medical problem and you'll be fine!

Re: Male RNs & Obstetrics

I just finished my OB course/clinical rotation; it has been the longest 15 weeks of my life!! No advice to offer except keep your head down and your powder dry!! I am rooting for you; good luck.

Re: Male RNs & Obstetrics

Originally Posted by groovy jeff

I just finished my OB course/clinical rotation; it has been the longest 15 weeks of my life!! No advice to offer except keep your head down and your powder dry!! I am rooting for you; good luck.

Quoted for truth. I despised all of it except the babies. The babies were great, though, both well-baby and NICU.

Re: Male RNs & Obstetrics

I personally hated my OB rotation as I didn't get to do a whole lot, but in the end your experience is directly related to the nurses's and patient's attitudes about men being there.

Re: Male RNs & Obstetrics

Originally Posted by BortaZinTx

Quoted for truth. I despised all of it except the babies. The babies were great, though, both well-baby and NICU.

I felt the same way after my rotation. Mostly healthy mothers, pregnant or not, is just not interesting. But when you get to the nursery, where there is a good mix of healthy and not-so-healthy babies, and then the NICU... much more interesting. I could see myself working in a NICU once I graduate, but it might be too professionally limiting this early on. Plus my senior preceptorship would have to in the NICU, which would further limit my non-NICU post-grad opportunities.

Re: Male RNs & Obstetrics

its not that bad!! ok maybe it is.. I didnt enjoy being a midwife.. though its different over here to the states...

I have a friend called Moses (drop dead georgeous) who got fed up with being chased by patients (he was working on a gyae ward) and changed to become a childrens nurse! hes now a charge nurse in SCBU.. which he loves because the babies dont answer back or ask for his phone number!!! (keep telling him hes now getting to old to be chased as we are both heading for our zimmer frames!!)

Re: Male RNs & Obstetrics

LOL, I didn't understand half of the references in your post, karenG.

Re: Male RNs & Obstetrics

Originally Posted by BortaZinTx

LOL, I didn't understand half of the references in your post, karenG.

my apologies!! Just done what I hate people doing and used jargon!

gyea.. short for gyneacological ward
SCBU.. special care baby unit

over here, if you want to look after children or babies, you can either qualify as a nurse (RN, registered nurse) and then undertake futher training to become a childrens nurse, thats on another part of our register, or you can qualify as a childrens nurse, but cant nurse adults. There are add on courses to work in areas such as special baby care or paedatric intensive care units, but those are not generally on the register. All nurses here are registerd with the NMC (nursing and midwifery council) and anyone can check your qualifications as long as they know your name.. you just log onto the website and ask!

does that make sense now?

sorry...

Re: Male RNs & Obstetrics

ROFL Karen G., Love your posts!

Seriously, I kinda thought the guys would like the speed of it, unless you get a boring couple of Moms... those OB nurses seriously move at times... and if you have a crash C/S, even more wild. I did a lot of interventions during my time there. But I can surely see why some guys don't like that rotation.