Advice

If you are in a good L&D you will not be "on your own" you will have a preceptor who will work with you and teach you. She will not turn you loose until she is satisfied you can do it. Also taking a good basic fetal monitoring course will help you not feel so lost when looking at strips. While you are in this learning time the best thing you can do for yourself is to jump in and follow as many patients as you can with varied problems: pre-eclampisa, diabetes, meconium....etc... the more you expose yourself too and the more you do the more comfortable you become. Just remember no one ever knows it all and you are never alone there are always others to seek opinions from,even the docs....

You should have at least 3 months with a preceptor as well as the basic fetal monitoring course, NRP, and STABLE. After you've had at least 6 months experience you should ask about the AWHONN fetal monitoring class.

Don't let them put you on your own until you feel ready. Even though you've been a nurse for a while you're going into a speciality and that requires the knowledge you already have and alot more not to mention different skills. It's up to you to make sure you get adequate orientation and precepting. Keep your manager posted on how you feel about things and what you think you may need extra help with. Don't be afraid to ask questions or to ask for help.

If you get a good orientation you'll love it. Just remember to stand your ground and don't do anything you aren't comfortable with.

I came to LDRP and Nursery right out of nursing school and luckily not only the nurses taught me so did the doctors. There was one GP who still did deliveries at the time and he took me under his wing and taught me so much. We also had a midwife at the time ........midwife's are wonderful at teaching. To this day I can still hear Dr Barker's responses in my mind when some things happen. I had a wonderful orientation and have had a wonderful career. I hope the same for you.

Good Luck! You're about to start the best job you've ever had! Keep me posted on how things go.

Thanks guys. I guess I am just really super nervous being that I have never worked in Perinatal nursing before. I get a better orientation than I would at another hospital that i had applied at, however, it is not to the degree that you guys have mentioned. I get 3 weeks of training which includes a few classroom experiences and a preceptorship of 8 shifts. I am glad that I get this, although it would have been nice to receive more. Starting something new is always scary. And it is hard being comfortable in one area of nursing and then moving into something where you know very little. I am excited so I hope I have good experiences at this new place.

What was it like for you guys when you first started in perinatal nursing? And how did you manage to keep your nerves at bay and not run to get the best of you? How did you find feeling green and being asked questions or to do things you weren't familiar with?

Thanks guys. I guess I am just really super nervous being that I have never worked in Perinatal nursing before. I get a better orientation than I would at another hospital that i had applied at, however, it is not to the degree that you guys have mentioned. I get 3 weeks of training which includes a few classroom experiences and a preceptorship of 8 shifts. I am glad that I get this, although it would have been nice to receive more. Starting something new is always scary. And it is hard being comfortable in one area of nursing and then moving into something where you know very little. I am excited so I hope I have good experiences at this new place.

What was it like for you guys when you first started in perinatal nursing? And how did you manage to keep your nerves at bay and not run to get the best of you? How did you find feeling green and being asked questions or to do things you weren't familiar with?

Do I understand you correctly? You only get THREE (3) weeks of training? I hope I am misunderstanding you. If you only get three weeks, that's TERRIBLE. That's not enough in Mother/Baby, let alone anything else. L&D is critical care and you won't even begin to feel comfortable for at least a year! Hopefully, I have misunderrstood you.