Is an OB/GYN RN for me?

elkpark · Jul 16, 2013

You don't have to decide in advance what area of nursing mosts interests you -- you will rotate through all the main specialty areas in school, and will have an opportunity at that time to see what RNs in those specialties do and how much it may interest you. Many, many people have the experience of starting nursing school sure that they know what they want to specialize in, only to find by the time they graduate (or within the first year or so of practice) that they are much more interested in something entirely different.

narainalina · Jul 16, 2013

You don't have to decide in advance what area of nursing mosts interests you -- you will rotate through all the main specialty areas in school and will have an opportunity at that time to see what RNs in those specialties do and how much it may interest you. Many, many people have the experience of starting nursing school sure that they know what they want to specialize in, only to find by the time they graduate (or within the first year or so of practice) that they are much more interested in something entirely different.[/quote']
Okay, thanks!

cprincess701 · Aug 2, 2013

Like they said above, you will find your unit that you love when you rotate through nursing school. I am a L&D RN who was hired right out of school. I knew I wanted to do ER or L&D when I graduated. What I ended up doing was applying at the busiest L&D hospital in the county ( we deliver 300-400 babies a month) that takes high risk pt's. So it kind of gives me both of the things I loved. As an L&D nurse you do it all. Every hospital is different but you can do anything from having labor pt's, working in OB OR, OB triage, antepartum pt's that aren't stable enough to go to a different unit. Its a rewarding unit to be on that can get very hectic very fast. You will find your place... good luck! :)

PeepnBiscuitsRN · Aug 2, 2013

I'd say keep your mind open to everything. Consider your clinicals like a buffet, sample each thing and expect to change your mind, even if you don't think you will. I went into RN school as an LPN working in pediatrics, convinced I'd be working in peds- by the time I was done, I was really interested in cardiac and OB was in the back of my head sort of just sitting there doing nothing. By about 3 months into cards, and 6-8 months after the birth of my daughter, suddenly OB was just sitting there. I asked around, in fact I think I even came here and said I want to work in OB, someone talk me out of it, tell me I'm still high on baby juice from having just had my daughter. I think some people told me straight up- but I still was interested. So here I am now. I researched it: what kind of birth center were we? Were we traditional? Baby friendly? (We're on the border, working toward Baby Friendly) and most importantly- who do we serve? So many come into OB thinking it's going to be a fairy tale out of "a baby story" where the nurse and the family bond and have such a great time and the nurse teaches the mom, and it's intimate and just a dreeeeeeaaam.

Well, let me tell you, our hospital isn't so much "A Baby Story" as it is "Teen Mom" or "16 and Pregnant" meets any kind of daytime talk show. And the "Baby Story" type patients we get actually turn out to be very "educated" affluent jerks with 30 page birth plans and parents that stand 0.5 inches behind you when you do ANYTHING. "What do you think you're doing?!"

"Well, sir...this here thing is called a stethoscope, and I'm listening to your baby's heartbea-

"Is this really a necessary procedure?"

"Well...I guess if I were the one who just had a baby I'd want to know if their heart rate was okay"

*Hem...haw...grumble...*