OB Tech duties

Maby I could help. I am currently working as an OBT. We are not CSTs, but have been trained at our facility. We have a LONG list of duties. Since we don't currently have a night secretary, we have covered that role as well as our OBT responsibilities which include:

Set up for vag deliveries
Set up and scrub for c/s
Set up and scrub for tubals
Set up and scrub for pp d&cs
Set up and scrub for emergency pp hyst/ c-hysts
Assist for extensive vag lac repairs
Admit pt to room- EFM, vs, basic info
If another OBT is scrubbing, help RN circulate
Stock rooms
Answer phones, call light, door
Enter orders in comp as needed
POC testing
Controls on glucose monitor
Finger stick/heal sticks for glucose
Clean ob equipment
Wash down ORs (except mop)
Wash up recovery pts
Assist RN as needed
Assist MD as needed
Assist other OBT as needed
Help Secretary as needed (when we have one)
Care for pt as needed
Basic pt care (we are CNAs as well)
Transport pts
Open rooms for expected pts
Clean (not sterilize) instruments
Bring instruments to processing
Stock epid carts
Stock blanket warmer
Assist RN after delivery with mom and baby
Vital, weight, footprint, clean up baby after delivery
Break down beds for vag del
Assist with pushing as needed
Put mom on tele
Open/set up rooms for scheduled NST, IND, C/S
Set up epid equip/bring cart
Set up tub (we do water births and have portable tub)
Clean up room as needed
The list goes on....


It is too bad that you are having problems with your techs, I hope this helps.
Nicole, OBT

being an ob tech sounds like fun! I should of looked into it while in nursing school!

I am glad to help. But I have to ask how many LDRs do you have? My facility has 9 LDRs, 1 Early Labor, 2 ORs...soon to expand. We do about 250 deliveries a month. We do not carry pagers/phones. We are expected to know what is going on with the patients we have and can read the strip so we know when and where we will be needed. We also always check in with the nurses and if we leave the floor we are on pagers. Have you thought of replacing those phones with pagers? It might help eliminate the phone calls, cost less and you can use a code system for emergencies and needs. Like crash sections are 911 for us we go directly to the OR open and scrub no questions asked...Just a thought.

Ayanna... It is fun, I work nights and we have a blast It can be stressful at times, but I like the adrenaline rush. I too am in nursing school and have been doing this about a year. It has helped enormously...Go for it, if you like keeping on your toes, don't mind hard work and fluids

Nicole

Hi, I work in a very large top ten hospital. We have nurse aide III and surg. techs but all they do is scrub. The nurse aides on the other hand 2nd in deliveries, stock rooms, staff nursery,set up del. tables and do post-partum care with a co-nurse usually splitting the assignment btwn. the two of them.We circulate through triage and high risk and if needed in our 3 ors and recovery room. We are highly trained and have more than one certification including neonatal resucitation. Baby baths and demos. are in there somewhere with asst. moms with breastfeeding. We only have LDRP's and an overflow unit that we usually put ante's on and one nurse and an aide staff that floor because we do FHT and NST also. Sorry if that sounds jumbled so many thoughts running through my head. It is a great place to work as a tech or aide to see if this is the kind of nursing you want to do. I hope this helped someone.

Hello,

I am finding through the course of doing my prereqs that I may want to become an ob tech. What formal training is there? How can I obtain more information about becoming one? Has anyone heard of the program through www.medtexx.com? Thanks!

Rebecca

Hi,

I am currently an MA and am also interested in becoming an OB Tech! Unfortunitally the only training program I have seen is the online/home course offered by "Medtexx" and I am conserned about learning the hands-on that all perspective employers are looking for. Any suggestions as to alternative schools or programs?

AWHONN has a positioning statement on the use of non-licensed personnel that is very good, it is the model that our hospital uses.