New OB Nurses, Grads and Students, Please Feel Free to post your questions here:

Hi there. I just want to ask you guys why id you choose to become an Ob nurse? I just need your feedback. Thanks

I have always been interested in women's health... every aspect of it. I feel like it is a relatable field for me since I am a healthy mother of 2. I have felt what many of these women are feeling and it comes natural to help them through this time of their life.

I also love the population that I am working with. We have many young moms who are not educated on how to do the mommy thing/breastfeeding thing, etc. I love, love to teach them and have the "light go on" for them. I also work with many hispanic, non-english speaking women, and it challenges me to learn about ob spanish.

Last of all, it was the one unit that I woke up every morning before clinical and was beaming. I love waking up for work (okay, not the waking up part, but i love my job). I love being specialized, and I love that floating to different positions in OB only serves to better prepare me for the women on my unit (postpartum/nursery).

I flip-flopped through many things when i first graduated, because there will be instructors that try to steer you toward different specialties or M/S, but when it comes down to it, YOU are the one going to work everyday in that unit, not your instructor.

All (great) nurses strive to be the best at their position. If you continue to learn, try not to get desensitized to patient care and are always aware that each patient is unique and deserves your undivided attn and care, you will be great wherever you decide to go.

Good luck!

What are the roles and responsibilities of a company nurse???

As far as I know....its basically employee health. Prevention and LOADS of teaching!! You planning to go that route?

Jen

I will be a new grad in a couple of months and I am really interested in Post Partum nursing.

What I've been seeing at every hospital in San Diego is that in order to do any L&D nursing positions, you have to have at least one year experience in the area.

Is this the case for everyone? How do you fulfill that if you cannot get an L&D position as a new grad?
Does working as an RN for an OB GYN clinic or a PHN in maternal infant health fulfill this too? Makes me nervous thinking that I might not be able to get my dream job...help!

Hi!

As a new grad myself, and even with several years as a doula, I still had to move to a small town to get started in OB. I'm from the Bay Area and had to move away from there to get a job in Mother/Baby. Now after a year I will be moving to L&D in the next few months for training.
I strongly advise you to stay with hospital OB and not move to clinics. Clinics are great but prenatal care is not what we really care about when they get to us. You will learn more about pregnancy and conception but the whole birth process will elude you.
You may have to move away from the urban SD or even LA areas to find a new-grad OB opportunity. I looked for 8 mos trying to be stubborn about finding a new-grad program or an entry level job. I finally took something that was a great fit! Even though I probably won't be here for more than another year or so, I will take this very valuable experience with me back to the Bay Area and will be in demand there! The other great thing is that I am in a 1 hospital county so we see EVERTHING! We do multiples, VLBW and demises regularly that I probably wouldn't have seen in a big hospital.
So go outside your comfort zone and go for it!!!!! Take care and I am always here to offer advice

Jen

Hi all, I'm a newbie here and I was excited to see a thread for wanna be OB nurses! I'm a second degree student in the middle of an ADN program and I've had my sights set on being a CNM for a long time now. It would be my dream to find an OB or post partum job straight out of schopol but I keep hearing that it's near impossible I'm sure this question has been asked a dozen times but what can I do to increase my chances to get on an L&D or post partum floor right out of school? Thanks in advance!

Please see my post right above yours for my story The best way I found was to do my preceptorship in OB in my last quarter. Some are called senior preceptorship. If you are really focused, and bug the heck out of the professor that assigns them, you might get one! That will help you get on your way. Also work on your NRP and breastfeeding classes and Basic Fetal Monitoring through AWOHNN, they are all a huge plus when looking for jobs. Anything a hospital doesn't have to train you for puts you ahead of the pack. Good luck!

Jen