which acute care unit provides best experience for future L&D nurse?

SmilingBluEyes · Aug 26, 2004

I would go for med-surge. Great foundation and background. I know of several med-surge nurses who were SNAPPED up for OB when openings came up and they applied. It's a great background to have for OB, believe me. These nurses are GREAT additions to our unit.

Jolie, BSN · Aug 26, 2004

My suggestion would be either Mother-Baby or NICU. Both will expose you to certain aspects of OB nursing, and you will become familiar with your future co-workers. Oftentimes, that is as important as anything when trying to transfer to a new unit.

NICU is appropriate for new grads so long as there is an adequate orientation and mentoring program. Good luck to you!

SmilingBluEyes · Aug 26, 2004

It depends, many units are LDRP and don't have separate NICU or Mother/baby units. It does depend on where you intend to work. If they are all one unit, I still recommend med-surg.

MommyLauraRN · Aug 27, 2004

I did both med surge (neuro/neurosurg/urology, plastic surgery, ENT as the primary services--we also took all the cystic fibrosis, TB, radiation PT's because we had a special leaded room and the neg pressure/isolation room, and every now and then they'd throw medicine or orthopedic PTs at us!) and mother/baby before L&D. Both were valuable! Sorry, I'm no help :)

BETSRN · Aug 28, 2004

I'd go for Med-Surg, unless you can find a hospital with a Mother/baby unit. After you haev some experience, if you want good diversity, go for an LDRP unit. That way, you'll already have a basic understanding of mother/baby and the transition to learning L&D won't be quite so qverwhelming. Good luck!

mischievium · Sep 1, 2004

Thanks for everyone's responses!!

I realize now that I made a mistake in phrasing my question-- which CRITICAL care unit would provide the best experience for a new grad who plans to become an L&D nurse? I am applying to a adult critical care training program for new grads and the units that they are looking to place new grads in are : Intensive Cardiac Care (ICC), Cardiac Cath Lab, Intensive Care Unit (I assume this is a med/surg intensive care unit??), Post Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU), the Surgical/Oncological ICU, Neuro ICU, Neuro Transitional Care, and Transitional Cardiac unit.

I truthfully, know very little about those units, my gut tells me that I do not want to work in Neuro, and the PACU sounds interesting, but any direction you guys could provide about which would really provide the best experience for someone who is planning to transfer to L&D would be fabulous!:)

At the same time, I am applying to a new grad L&D position, but if I don't get that position, I wanted an idea of which critical care unit would be best to work at-- presuming I get a position there :), job hunting is so much fun!

The other thing I was hoping you wiser, more-experienced nurses could tell me is if NICU would be a bad idea-- I think I said in my original post that I thought it would be hard to transfer from the NICU to L&D because NICU is pediatrics and not adult medicine. Is this right, or can you work in the NICU and transfer to L&D?

Thank you!

-m.

Jolie, BSN · Sep 1, 2004

Thanks for everyone's responses!!
I realize now that I made a mistake in phrasing my question-- which CRITICAL care unit would provide the best experience for a new grad who plans to become an L&D nurse? I am applying to a adult critical care training program for new grads and the units that they are looking to place new grads in are : Intensive Cardiac Care (ICC), Cardiac Cath Lab, Intensive Care Unit (I assume this is a med/surg intensive care unit??), Post Anesthesia Care Unit (PACU), the Surgical/Oncological ICU, Neuro ICU, Neuro Transitional Care, and Transitional Cardiac unit.
I truthfully, know very little about those units, my gut tells me that I do not want to work in Neuro, and the PACU sounds interesting, but any direction you guys could provide about which would really provide the best experience for someone who is planning to transfer to L&D would be fabulous!:)
At the same time, I am applying to a new grad L&D position, but if I don't get that position, I wanted an idea of which critical care unit would be best to work at-- presuming I get a position there :), job hunting is so much fun!
The other thing I was hoping you wiser, more-experienced nurses could tell me is if NICU would be a bad idea-- I think I said in my original post that I thought it would be hard to transfer from the NICU to L&D because NICU is pediatrics and not adult medicine. Is this right, or can you work in the NICU and transfer to L&D?
Thank you!
-m.

That's exactly what I did. I started in the NICU as a new grad and loved it! After 5 years, I went to L&D, and loved it too! The care of adults is obviously very different than infants, but you are exposed to so much OB information by working NICU that I did not find the transition difficult. Good luck!

dawngloves, BSN, RN · Sep 1, 2004

you are exposed to so much OB information by working NICU that I did not find the transition difficult. Good luck!

Yeah, and it gets you used to the smell of amniotic fluid. :chuckle

SmilingBluEyes · Sep 1, 2004

YOu do that in Labor and Delivery, too, Dawngloves,lol.

Just remember, the care of infants IS very different than that of adults, so very true. BUT you ARE caring for adults in NICU, the parents/relatives of the babies charged to your care. Don't think for a minute these people won't tax you in your work; they can be very draining indeed. Their anguish is palpable, intense and very real and you will have to deal with it with compassion and patience. It won't be easy, but if your heart is there, go for it!

mischievium · Sep 1, 2004

Again, thank you so much for your responses!

Well, darn it! :rolleyes: I already applied to the Adult Critical Care Program, I guess I'm going to have to call them and ask about their NICU Program and see if I can be considered for both.

You see, if I can't work in LDRP right away (and it is looking like that is the case), then my second choice would be to work in the NICU for a year or so, then go into LDRP, BUT I was afraid that I wouldn't be able to go from NICU to LDRP. :imbar I guess I should have asked you all first.

Also, at the end of my nursing program I spent 8 weeks, 30+hours per week working in L&D-- so I know exactly what you mean about the smell of amniotic fluid- LOL! It's not a horrible smell, but it's not one you forget, either!:chuckle

Anybody have anythoughts about any of the Adult Critical Care units?

-m.

mitchsmom · Sep 2, 2004

I am still a student but I'd go for a critical care unit with the broadest scope of care - out of the choices you gave, I'd think that would be ICU or PACU. Then you are prepared to care for a wider range of conditions than individual ones like neuro, cardiac, oncology, etc.

Good luck!