Antepartum Nurses

[RN_BSN09, RN]

I'm about to start training for antepartum... I currently work in Mother/Baby and my manager wants me to be able to float to antepartum... I've worked in telemetry in the past, so I think skills from that floor may be beneficial. I hear some nurses love it, and others truly hate it.

So, I was wondering, those of you who work antepartum

1. Do you like/dislike working in antepartum and why?

2. What advice or tips do you have for training in antepartum?

Thanks!

[RN_BSN09, RN]

I have never worked in L&D so I will be totally new to EFM as well.

[bagladyrn, RN]

I have worked high risk antepartum, along with every other area of OB/GYN/NSY over the years. To properly care for your antepartum patients you will really need some experience in monitoring patients as a large number of your patients will be in for treatment of preterm labor or conditions which may affect fetal well being negatively. You will need to be able to detect the early signs of breakthrough contractions as well as subtle signs of changes in the fetal heart rate patterns (before they become the obvious "crashing" signs). I'd suggest asking your director to allow you to spend some time precepting with an experienced L&D nurse and take some courses in fetal monitoring - the AWHONN Basic Fetal Monitoring course is available online.

[RN_BSN09, RN]

Thanks for the info! I haven't gotten my orientation schedule yet... but it sounds like I will spend a couple days observing over in L&D, plus I'm signed up to take an all day EFM class. Overall, my orientation will be 6 weeks until I'm on my own. It will be high risk antepartum. Did you like working there?

[RNnicu42]

The EFM course will definitely help. If an antepartum patient has a bleed and needs to be rushed to OR will you be the circulator in the OR. I work high risk perinatal and we care for antepartum patients who are chonic abruptors, placenta previa, di-di twins. All of these pts can results in a crash C-section. You will need to be prepared for this and have a plan in place if you will not be the one taking them to the OR.

[RN_BSN09, RN]

As far as I know, I will not be the circulator in the OR if something like that happened. From what I've heard, if a patient starts to deliver, or needs an immediate C/S they transfer care. There have been a couple times that a premie was delivered before the pt could be transferred to L&D. However, they recently changed the antepartum unit to high-risk... there is usually at least one L&D nurse over there, and one mother/baby nurse there. I'm sure I will find out more once I start training.

[debsgreys]

I really think you will enjoy it. Our ante pts are on the M/B unit when we have them. Remember the more skills you have improves your position on the unit.

[RN_BSN09, RN]

thank you debsgreys! Hopefully I will like it... I guess I won't know until I try!