Any good references?

disher · Jul 23, 2003

Good luck in your new job.

If you are interested in reading CE articles in obstetrics on the web, you can check out the two sites below

http://www.nursingcenter.com/home/index.asp

(To locate click on: CE connection, browse by clinical topics, obstetrics)

http://www.awhonn.org/

SmilingBluEyes · Jul 23, 2003

Be sure and get NRP (neonatal resuscitation program) ASAP. Ask your manager who the NRP insturctor is in your unit. Most have one. IF not, there should be NRP classes nearby. Find out and get them NOW. Also, try to get hold of some good fetal monitoring books like suggested above. I went to work in L and D right out of school, too,and like you, had to face some very seasoned vets who believed I had NO place there w/o med-surg experience first. Grow a thick skin (you will SO need it), and find a good mentor and be a sponge. That is all I can advise.

You are welcome to vent to me anytime....I have been there and done that ( been in LDRP now 6 years!) and I possibly can help you through it. Just PM me! Best of luck.

fourbirds4me · Jul 23, 2003

Thanks for the encouragement Deb. I already have NRP. I took it while still in school because I thought it would help me get hired :)

I am pretty good at identifying decels/accels but intervening and knowing what to do is a different story!

I wonder if they will let me have a copy of policy and procedure or I'll probably just have to cram it in between patients.

Also, this unit caters to mainly one group of OB/GYNS and each DR. is different in what they "like", what they do in different situations, etc...

The good thing is I made a good impression there as a student and all the nurses were rooting for me to get the job.

They also assist and circulate their own sections. Very nervous about that. We didn't learn a lot about sterile procedure in school. And NOTHING about instruments. I circulated as a student and had a hard time with instrument count as I didnt' know how to pronounce the names..... Kochers.... what the heck! :)

Anyway, I am rambling and I have a feeling I will be in touch A LOT!

SmilingBluEyes · Jul 23, 2003

Circulation in a csection is cake, really. You don't scrub in, after all. You just do "gofer work"---get this, get that, for the surgeons/assist/tech/anesthesiologist. You do instrument and sponge counts before, during and after surgery. You scrub the patient in prep for the csection. You may have to assist with newborn resuscitation. (not so fun).

It's really simple. Don't worry about it. You will learn the procedure in just a couple of sections, I think. Get to each and every one you can during orientation; perhaps even being willing to come in on days off to circulate til you are comfortable. The more you do, the better it gets.

Also, get to some good fetal monitoring workshops NOW. Those offered by AWHONN, Michelle Murray, and Harvey and Troiano are great. Do it NOW. It can only enhance what foundation of knowledge you have now.

mother/babyRN, RN · Aug 9, 2003

We will all help you out..I have been in delivery (nursery and postpartum) for almost 15 years...It takes a long time to feel remotely comfortable in delivery...There are nights when i am still scared to death.....Approach those veteran nurses with the idea that you want to learn EVERYTHING they have to teach..Humility goes a long way....I wish you luck and happiness, and don't discount nursery or pp...Those are the same people you take care of in delivery, and their problems don't neccessarily start or end in delivery....All three places are VERY VERY acute and interesting and , like delivery, conditions and situations can turn around VERY quickly in either post partum or the nursery....

I agree with SmilingBlueEyes...Get certified in NALS asap, and practice, practice practice...No better place to learn or glean experience then on the job....Welcome....

NICU_Nurse, BSN, RN · Aug 9, 2003

Yeahhhh...don't start talkin' bad about the nursery! LOL!

I just wanted to say that you shouldn't be so hard on yourself, or have such high expectations! Guess what? And I'm TOTALLY serious about this...You don't know ANYTHING. That is a fact. What we learn in nursing school is an ice chip off the iceburg that sunk the Titanic. No one expects a new grad to waltz in the door and function unassisted- you're there to learn! The only way you become a competent, confident nurse is through experience. Period. A degree and a license is worthless without experience, so don't feel bad!

You said they're notoriously hard on orientees? GOOD! That's actually a good thing. It won't help the butterflies in your stomach and it won't mean much to you at first, but in retrospect you'll become so much better at your job if they challenge your knowledge and help it to grow instead of giving you minimal information and throwing you out there on your own.

You won't disappoint them- you've already made an impression and they KNOW you're new. Take advantage of it- ask tons of questions about everything! They may not be able to answer everything, you will have to look up quite a bit on your own, and when you do, take that new information and tell them about it. If you're worried about making a good impression as an actual nurse, I find that studying relevant topics and discussing them with my co-workers is a great way to open the door to mentoring (your preceptor might not be great, but you might find another nurse who will take you under their wing!) and also helps to cement what you're learning hands-on.

If they are showing you something, ask them if you can do it. Ask them to walk you through it instead of standing back and watching them perform it. Ask "Why" a lot. And finally, compliment those who go out of their way to help you, because eventually you may find a friend and confidante in these people, and at the very least, it makes them a bit more willing to help you. Bringing food helps, too.

Good luck, and congratulations on getting your preferred placement! L&D is exciting!