Patient Care Tech in L&D

[mochabean]

I was wondering if anyone could offer their opinion on this. I currently work as a nursing asssitant on a step-down unit and I'm in the middle of training to become a PCT. I start nursing school this fall and my ultimate goal is to become an OB-GYN nurse. In order to transfer to another hospital, I have to remain at my current position for at least a year, and that'll be Oct/Nov for me. As much as I love working on my unit, I know that is quite difficult to obtain an RN position in L&D. I've heard that it would be helpful to work med-surg for a year or two, but I would really love to get my foot in the door somehow working in a nursery. I was looking for positions yesterday and I found a PCT position for the L&D unit at a local hospital. My question is: Would it be too early for me to apply for a transfer positon to L&D? Should I stay on my step down unit where I see various illnesses and learn from the nurses there? Or should I just wait a little longer? Thanks!

[humanity]

I will suggest to stick with the pct at floor which you are on since you are in the middle of the orientation, mani-fect you will learn more on your unit as as a tech rather than on labor and delivery because tech's on labor and delivery does not do a whole lot, and you will start your nursing school in fall so, after a year you can get transferred to labor and delivery, reason i know because i have been a pct for three years

[Crux1024]

I would check your facilities guidelines. I know the place I work for will not even CONSIDER a transfer until youve been in that position a full year. Check it out. Good Luck tho! hope you get what you want.

[jesskalpn]

Humanity, I have been an OB tech for 8 years and I personally do a WHOLE LOT!

My unit is structured in such a way that I am titled an OB Scrub Tech, meaning that I set-up and scrub into lady partsl and c-section deliveries in addition to my PCA/PCT responsibilities which include mom/baby vitals, baby weights, phlebotomy/heelsticks, newborn hearing screens, emptying foleys, baby baths, helping get patients up, stocking the OR and patient rooms, and some general clerical duties.

Crux made a good point about required time frames before transfer, though, so check that out.

I thought when I became a tech that I wanted to be an OB nurse but over the years have discovered that I love the OR, so when I get my RN license I'm going to be looking into that area. I think that being an OB tech would give you an up-close look at OB nursing but I think that being a med-surg tech will give you a more well-rounded background and quite possibly be more beneficial to your education.

Hope things work out!

[mochabean]

I actually found out that I could transfer after 6 months. But different units and hospitals may have different qualifications for what they're looking for in an NA/PCT, so it may not be that easy to transfer. Another thing is that I don't know what L&D PCT does. I saw a job description, but it was quite vague.

After a lot of thought, I've decided that I should stay on my unit until next summer, after I complete my 2nd semester of nursing school. I agree: I haven't had my clinicals yet, so I don't know whether I'll have good learning exepriences or not. Since I'm on a med-surg unit, I see a lot of things and some of the nurses teach me things that can be very helpful for me. I was working with a nurse today who showed me how NG tubes are inserted, how they function, and how the patient (who had GI bleed) would receive golightly(?) through the NG tube. I asked her question, after question, after question. She encouraged me to go to nursing school (I didn't tell her I was already accepted though!).

Thanks for the responses guys!