New job - Finding it so Weird!

Specialties Ob/Gyn

Published

Specializes in L&D.

Ok I couldn't come up with a title that described what I'm feeling.

I left a large (over 7200 deliveries a year) to take a job in a small hospital and I'm finding myself shaking my head inside as I'm being oriented.

I'm on day 3. I went into my first csection yesterday and was shocked at some of the practices...like looking at the clock on the wall for birth time to not keeping a white board with the count listed to taking the newborn Out of the OR to the.."nursery?" before moms section was done. Oh yeah they only keep the newborn with mom for a bit..then take them away to the nursery. And they don't have the RN's doing lady partsl checks as they assess their pts in labor..the residents do ALL the checks.

I could go on and on..but I wondered if anyone else ever felt this way after changing facilities..and will it go away? I am constantly holding back from saying.."well we did it This way at ..." because thats so annoying lol.

But I feel like things are done so strangely..and I am not feeling a bond with the job yet.

Anyone else ever feel like this when they shifted jobs??

See when you apply for a job you have no idea how things are done..you just get the nice little tour and thats that. Unless you have a friend working somewhere you really don't know how things are done. And most of the nurses Im working with, have been there for 25-35 yrs..so maybe they don't even Know its messed up lol.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Acute Care, Rehab, Palliative.

What's wrong with looking at a clock for the time?

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in OB.

These procedures (with the possible exception of separating a well mom and baby - personal prejudice) are not wrong, they are just different.

Was all of your prevous experience at one facility? Until you have worked at multiple places it's hard to realize how many different ways there are of doing the same task.

I've been traveling as an OB nurse for over 15 yrs. now and can tell you I've seen dozens of ways to accomplish any given procedure in OB. Some seem more efficient than others but few really make any difference in the outcome.

P.S. - you are correct to bite your tongue on the "where I came from...." phrase - that's the kiss of death for a new employee in relating to peers!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Acute Care, Rehab, Palliative.

I wouldn't be writing off my coworkers just because they have experience.Baglady is right.Different places do things in a variety of ways.

Up Vote Up Vote ×

It is normal for you to have these feelings, just like some one at your new job, may think it is strange if you told them how you did things at your old job:). I don't think it is a big deal. You just were so use to doing things a certain way on your old job that the new job seems different to you. (Which it is a different hospital, with different ways of doing the same job.) You will adjust to the new ways !

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in L&D.

Well when the baby is born, I was used to looking at the computer for the time. Looking at a clock just seem so inaccurate. You cant Really tell the time looking up at an angle to the clock. So ok it doesnt really matter what Exact time it is I suppose..as long as its written the same everywhere. But not keeping mom and baby together seems So weird. After the Csection they took the baby to the nursery after about an hour. And dad went along. At my old place they Never took the mom and baby apart..and baby Had to go via the streacher to her periop recovery room with the baby in her arms.

I was trained in OB in a very progressive large hospital..and I guess I'll get used to new ways. =)

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in L&D.

Ohh and I'm Not writing anyone off..no worrys there. =)

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in L&D.

..altho I'm really po'ed that I won't be doing vag exams. I feel like Im giving up some power lol.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Critical Care.

well, my *understanding* is that it is best practice for hospitals to be encouraging couplet care and to encourage mom to breastfeed on demand, hold the baby to the breast, etc. that said, you are ONLY on day 3 of orientation. you have only seen a miniscule of what your coworkers are like and the protocols of your unit. i would give it a bit. maybe 3 months down the line you could speak to your nurse educator and phrase something along the line of "acog/awhonn says best practices are to do x, y, z....is there a reason we are doing this instead?" etc

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Critical Care.

because as "weird" as something may be or feel to you, "weird" isn't good enough and very subjective. and if i had a new coworker constantly singing the praises of her previous employer, i would say "well then why don't you go back and marry it! :-P" hah

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in L&D.

SNB, no I'm Not singing the praises of my previous employer..you misread me. I left there for good reason. But I see now in resprospect that they Did do things more in line with acog/awhonn standards.

I don't say a thing about how they are doing things..Im just thinking these things in my head. And weird is the word I used because I don't know what word to use. Let me rephrase..I dont feel like they're doing things as safely as they could..hows that?

Yes at my "last employer"..there was no nursery. Oh there was one if they absolutely needed it..but we were told to tell our patients that they baby was with them all the time. And that there was no nursery.

Funny thing I overheard one of my coworkers say yesterday who just went to AWHONN conference. She said she opened their recommendations and said they don't do ANY of them HERE!! I just listened.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in OB-Gyn/Primary Care/Ambulatory Leadership.
Well when the baby is born, I was used to looking at the computer for the time. Looking at a clock just seem so inaccurate. You cant Really tell the time looking up at an angle to the clock. So ok it doesnt really matter what Exact time it is I suppose..as long as its written the same everywhere. But not keeping mom and baby together seems So weird. After the Csection they took the baby to the nursery after about an hour. And dad went along. At my old place they Never took the mom and baby apart..and baby Had to go via the streacher to her periop recovery room with the baby in her arms.

I was trained in OB in a very progressive large hospital..and I guess I'll get used to new ways. =)

I currently work at a very large, progressive teaching hospital, and we still take the baby to the PACU ahead of the mom. They don't go arm-in-arm together to the PACU. So, just goes to show that even not all progressive large teaching hospitals do it the same way.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Add a Comment