Any Mother/Baby Nurses? If so, do you only deal with postpartum?

[Renee4christ]

Hi everyone! I have seen on some hospital job sites the title of "Mother/Baby" unit and have was wondering if these nurses deal with only the mother and baby, or if you are switched to Labor and Delivery? The only part that i did not like about my OB rotation was the labor and delivery process, but I did really enjoy the aftermath of taking care of the baby and mother! I guess i just wanted to know what you do as a mother/baby nurse:) Thanks in advance

[rn4babies63]

I work at 2 differant hospitals and both require you to work L&D, Postpartum, and Nursery (both smaller community hospitals). Also, 2 other large hospitals that I interviewed at required you to orient to 2/3 units. Very few will only allow you to work one probably due the the unpredictability of the census.

[cherokeesummer]

Hi!

I am a post partum nurse and we only work with mothers/babies. We used to work Antepartum when needed but do not any longer. We also can float to NICU if we want to and if they need help.

We also admit new babies.

[kat7ap]

On my old unit, I just worked with postpartum moms and well newborns, with an occasional a gyne pt or readmit mom. Since I am a LPN/LVN I was not required to float to L&D to help with recovery if needed, or take on the occasional antepartum pt like the RNs did.

[PinkNBlue, BSN, RN]

I'm only in postpartum. NICU actually admits the new babies (bathes them and does their first initial assessment) but then they'll transfer the baby when the baby is stable. That will soon change and that responsibility will become ours in the nursery. But we only take care of the mom's and the baby's and the occasional antepartum. As a tech, I can float to NICU, L&D and Peds.

[babyrn04]

Hey....

It depends on where you work. Mother-baby means that one nurse is responsible for both the mother and the baby which is couplet care. In other words not all the babies are the responsibility of the nursery nurse, only admissions and babies that are still transitioning. Once the baby is "roomed in" with mom they become a set. What ever nurse has the mother has the baby too. There is also a nursery assignment on the same unit. Some days you may be assigned to the floor, other times in the nursery. You rotate between the nurses on the floor. On my unit will also have GYN and Antepartum. Most units are mother-baby because this promotes bonding and continuity of care. In my hospital you are not required to work L&D but we are cross trained to the recovery room and triage, we are required to float if they are short. Hope this helps:lol2:

[Renee4christ]

u guys are awesome!! thanks for all the info!

[RN1981]

On my unit we do Post-Partum and low risk Antepartum (NST's q shift) but no actual laboring.