Delivery Hospital vs Children's Hospital

SteveNNP, MSN, NP · Mar 31, 2008

I work in a Children's hospital, and all the deliveries that need to have a NICU team present, the NP or fellow attends. I haven't seen a delivery since I left my last job this past June. I worked for a delivery hospital, and the deliveries were attended by an RN and an RT. I really miss that part of my job.....

preemieRNkate, RN · Mar 31, 2008

Does the delivery hospital have a level III NICU? Where I work, an RN attends high-risk deliveries with a doc or NP. We're a level III, so we see plenty of sick babies. The only babies we send out are those that may need ECMO.

I think either hospital could be good for a new grad. I would say that it depends more on the orientation that you will get. Do they both have a good 10-12 week orientation that includes both classroom and hands-on with a dedicated preceptor? Those things are more important than anything else at this point, in my opinion.

texas2007, BSN, RN · Apr 1, 2008

I would choose the hospital that takes the sicker kids. The unit where I work takes everything, cardiac, does ECMO, deliveries, the whole enchilada. Of course, most of those have their own special teams of people who run them, but the opportunity is available if you want to apply. As a new grad, it is a STEEP learning curve, but I can see now that should I choose to move on anytime later in my career to another hospital, I will be competent in caring for the sickest of the sick.

dawngloves, BSN, RN · Apr 1, 2008

It depends on whatever floats your personal boat.

I would miss the rush of running to a stat c/s and the flood of relief when a pink, crying baby is delivered. I wouldn't miss those smelly meconium deliveries or moms screaming at the top of thier lungs. It's a trade off I guess.

Sweeper933 · Apr 1, 2008

It does depend on your personal preferences, as well as the specifics of each unit. I work in a Level III NICU unit, and we are the refering hospital for high-risk antepartum moms. We (nurses, docs) go down for all preterm deliveries, and all other "high-risk" deliveries (mec, decels...). I personally love going down to deliveries, and would miss not doing so.

The children's hospital that is nearby does echmo and all of that stuff (echmo / complex cardiac stuff is pretty much all my unit doesn't do), and they are not a delivery hospital - all of their admits are transfers from other hospitals.

Krystljoy · Apr 1, 2008

Thanks for all the great responses. Yeah, the delivery hospital that offered me a job is a level III and I believe they do pretty much everything except ECHMO (but there could be some other things they transfer out). I know they do surgeries, cardiac and NO. They also have a six month internship which is really nice! It sounds like those of you who go to deliveries enjoy it, and I'm really looking forward to that part too (as long as I can go right back to the babies ). I was worried that most of the sick kids were transferred to the Children's Hospital, but that's not what it sounds like by the responses. Thanks!!

elizabells, BSN, RN · Apr 1, 2008

Our hospital has its own L&D AND is the regional transport center, but we don't go to the deliveries ourselves. I have to say, I prefer taking care of a cardiac (or whatever) born in-house, with our resources, than one born at some outside hospital who convinced mom it was fine to deliver there and transport out because they wanted the money from the delivery. Our saddest cases are the ones who would have been fine if they'd been delivered somewhere that knew how to manage them. We got a mec asp the other day who came in on pressures of 34/5!!! On a 3kg baby!

preemieRNkate, RN · Apr 1, 2008

We got a mec asp the other day who came in on pressures of 34/5!!! On a 3kg baby!

Nice. :no:

NICU_babyRN, BSN, RN · Apr 6, 2008

I would soooooo miss the deliveries. I work in a large level III NICU and we go to all high-risk deliveries. I love that part of my job!!!

We have babies whoa re just as sick as the children's hospital in my area with the only exception being ECMO...but we have an ECMO team in the works:) YEY!!!

P.S: Mec deliveries smell bad!

dawngloves, BSN, RN · Apr 6, 2008

P.S: Mec deliveries smell bad!

:chuckle Yes, indeed! I give so much kudos to L&D nurses. Some of the smells in those rooms....:uhoh21:

Krystljoy · Apr 6, 2008

I never thought about the mec deliveries smells. I'll have to keep that in mind when I go to my first high risk births :chuckle