Why I think L&D nursing really is best and hardest

[lovemyjoblandd]

I know this is probably going to make some other specialty nurses mad, but that's okay- this is our forum :). I respect all nurses, God knows I wouldn't want to do anything but L&D. Sick and/or old people, ng tubes, pressure ulcers, no thanks! I know every nurse thinks that their field is the hardest, but I'm going to put up an argument (in a fun way, this is not to be demeaning), as to why I think L&D nursing is the most challenging.

First, and most importantly I think, is that only a L&D nurse can do L&D nursing. One cannot simply float from another floor and perform no matter how many years experience one has in nursing. Now sure others can deliver a precip delivery, heck those babies deliver themselves! I'm not saying one cannot learn L&D, because that is just silly. I'm just saying that you cannot throw a nurse on our floor and expect them to be okay. On the contrary, I am confident that I could go anywhere in this hospital and perform in a capable way. Sure there would be some things I'd need to ask about, but for the most part I could nurse independantly. As L&D nurses, we are capable of scrubbing, circulating, multi-tasking, prioritizing, administering high risk drugs, handling emergencies, giving blood, handling psych patients, and dealing with difficult family members (haha).

Next, we are masters of charting! With the exception of ICU nurses and other patient's I probably do not even know of, we are the only specialty that must chart on our patients every 15 minutes, while performing hands-on nursing, and usually do it in multiple systems.

Lastly, we have babies! We are there for the beginning of a new life, and sometimes the end of a life. We get to work autonomously and make the experience of childbirth an amazing experience while keeping our patient calm and maintaining our own calmness- even in emergencies. It's amazing.

I love my job :) And L&D nurses are the best! Now please tell me why you think your nursing field is the best!

[melmarie23, MSN, RN]

I dread floating. And I used to be a med-surg nurse prior to L&D/maternity. I am certainly anything but proficient or confident when on other units.

[SmilingBluEyes]

I don't see any catfights here, really. I think, given the OP, things are rather civilized and tame. Being honest and straight-forward so often is taken for being "vindictive" or "mean" or "catty". To me, being "catty" is not being honest and straightforward, but directly attacking another for whatever reason. We can disagree, sometimes vehemently, without being catty or mean. Some people just need to change the lens through which they perceive others and the world around them. No Jerry Springer here. Perhaps, we all need to grow up a bit.

[lovemyjoblandd]

Part of being a good nurse is realizing mistakes, owning up to them, and trying to do your best to make it up. I truly did not mean to offend people with this post. My intent did not come across well. I apologize to those offended. I enjoy this site and respect it's members and moderators.

[RunBabyRN]

To answer what I imagine was the goal of your post :) , I don't think L&D or women's health is necessarily the hardest, but for me it's the best. I have been in health care a long time, and am finally thisclose to being a nurse (one NCLEX away!), and I've known for 10+ years that women's health is for me. I was a first responder and learned a lot of skills that would be helpful in ER, I was a hospital corpsman and worked in a variety of clinics, so many of those skills would also work in ER or in med/surg, I worked at a birth center, worked as a lactation specialist, and as a phlebotomist. I have skills other new grads don't necessarily bring to the table. As a new grad, I'm not yet considered specialized, though my area of interest and stuff I've studied on my own helps me in women's health. As a new grad, much of the stuff from other areas of nursing is still fresh for me, and while some of my classmates are great with cardiac stuff or might know their way around an OR or ICU, I would be HOSED. Those are NOT my areas of expertise. I feel I would do well in med/surg, psych, ER, outpatient clinic, and other areas, but I would definitely have my limitations (not only as a new grad, but just because I don't do that stuff every day like the "natives").

I LOVE working with women going through all of the changes that come with pregnancy and birth. Watching a family transform and getting to be a part of that is such an honor, and I hope I never take it for granted. I was able to precept in postpartum, and I have an offer to work there (which I plan to take when I'm licensed), so I was able to spend some time with this population in the RN role. Watching a woman transition into motherhood, watching her figure out things that were a struggle only hours ago, watching a father change his first diaper or a grandmother holding her first grandchild for the first time, these are all such beautiful moments you never get in other areas of nursing. It certainly has its harder times and its struggles (fetal demise, drug using parents, CPS calls, high risk stuff, etc), but I still wouldn't argue that it's the hardest area of nursing.

[Kintaro2]

Hi I am fairy new L&D nurse and love it. It is hard at the time, but I do not think L&D nurses are any more skillful or knowledgeable than other area of nursing. It is just so specialized area. I might know more about pregnant women and can read FHR strip than some let's say ER nurses, but I don't know how to care for people come to hospital with severe injury. I probably don't have better organizing/time management skills than med-surg nurses who look after 8 patients. So, conclusion is that I have lots of respect on other area of nursing. Actually, I am thinking about going in to other area to establish basic nursing skills in next couple of years in order to be better L&D nurse:)

[cayenne06, MSN, CNM]

I just want to say that I have only ever worked in LDRP/OBGYN. I feel like a fish out of water whenever I float, and I never do anything besides patient sitting or helping hands. I wouldn't know what to do with a complex M/S patient!