BSN OB ROTATION

[gatorem, BSN, RN]

Hello-

I'm currently enrolled in a ABSN program and plan to purse midwifery upon completion. I've woekes as a Doula for 5 years and this is a career change for me. I'm VERY nervous about my upcoming OB rotation. The clinical sites are not physiologic birth friendly, in fact I've never been to any of them as clients don't want to birth there. I know I wil have to be the complacent student, bite my tongue and turn my head...every clinical... any tips for a nervous gal??? So not looking forward to this.

[klone, MSN, RN]

Bite your tongue and turn your head

[llg, PhD, RN]

Try to keep an open mind -- and strive to gain understanding about why things are the way they are. There are usually multiple sides to every story.

You say you have never been to any of the clinical sites that you will be using for your clinicals. Well, then this is an opportunity to see what the "other side" is like. They may have a few good points (as well as some of the bad things you are anticipating). Be open to learning from those good points. You'll probably see things you don't approve of -- and may never approve of -- but use that opportunity to learn why the sites do things the way they do. Increased understanding is never a bad thing.

And finally ... bite your tongue when you have to. Remind yourself that it is not your place to try to change everyone to your way of thinking. People have a right to make their own choices, even when they make choices you disapprove of. That's hard sometimes.

[LibraSunCNM, BSN, MSN, CNM]

Use any negative experiences you witness to commit yourself even more fully to changing the culture of birth so that, at least under your care, no woman will be treated disrespectfully (while you're biting your tongue and turning your head).

[labordude, BSN, RN]

Agree with the above posters, just don't close off the learning aspect because at this point, you don't even know how much you don't know yet. Take it all in, integrate, learn, and develop your own process and practice.

[Mavrick, BSN, RN]

Agree with the above posters, just don't close off the learning aspect because at this point, you don't even know how much you don't know yet. Take it all in, integrate, learn, and develop your own process and practice.

All the posts were helpful but I think this boils down the essence.

[rac1, ASN, BSN, RN]

Try to embrace and remember what being a doula truly means - with woman. But also understand a nurses role is not a doula role. Be with those women, and respect the choices they have made. You haven't walked in their shoes. We all come into our own on our own time. These women have walked in their own shoes on their own path, and you are walking into their room for a 12 hour shift - support them as they need support - however they ask and however they choose. And respect the nurses wisdom in their place of work because they know what they are doing and have experience that you do not. Do you know things they don't? Of course. We all have different knowledge bases.

[Jory, MSN, APRN, CNM]

All you can do is bite your tongue. If you are in a ABSN program you need to learn how the obstetrics is managed for NCLEX. However, even if you are a doula, you may gain insight as to why many decisions are made. I am a firm believer in a physiologic birth and I am not against epidurals, c-sections, etc. because these are options that provide a tremendous amount of comfort or save lives. But I also believe in two important aspects of obstetric care: Patient choice and utilizing these tools correctly.