Experienced RN Interested in Post Partum Nursing and Need Feedback

[Genista, BSN, RN]

Hi. I am thinking about a specialty change and Postpartum nursing is one area that interests me. But I am hesitant because I am not sure if my idea of what it entails is true to reality. I have 11 years experience in acute care in med/surg adult specialties. What appeals to me about OB/Postpartum is the extensive teaching, learning a new population, and perhaps dealing with a slightly healthier (in general) crowd. I do know complications arise, and that I would need to be attuned to assessing appropriately in this new area. I am also a new-ish mom with 2 under age 5. Because I am not a new grad, I am somewhat nervous about making a transition into a new area...having worked with only adults the past years. I am concerned about safe workloads as we all are in all areas of nursing, so if you don't mind sharing what you consider adequate staffing, that would help me too (i.e. how many couplets to one RN and do you have secretary or techs, etc). Thanks for any tips and feedback you have to offer.

[JaneyW]

If you like extensive teaching, you will love postpartum. Your med/surg experience will only help you. Good assessment skills are very important. People think it is easy or boring, but I find it a lot of fun and not at all easy. Yes, your pt population will be healthier in general, but the complications are horribly tragic (hemorrhage, PE). Luckily, they are few and far between depending on your hospital.

In CA, our ratio is 1 nurse to 4 couplets (baby and mom together). If the pts are high acuity (mag drip), you will have less. Some moms have babies in the NICU so are singles. Also, there are admits all times of day--even at 2am. In my experience working and now teaching, you may have 4 couplets at the beginning of the shift and discharge most of them before 3pm. You are crazy busy at times and slow at others.

You will need to become familiar with newborns, but that can be done. They are so wonderful and helping a new family get to know each other is very rewarding over all. There are down sides, but I think you sounded like a good candidate. Good luck--don't be afraid to change!

[Genista, BSN, RN]

Thank you Janey.

[Maria Lenore,RN]

Its indeed exciting to be in postpartum care...... Babies are angels.... GOODLUCK

[rn/writer, RN]

I love postpartum nursing. You're right about there being a big teaching component. And since a mom and a baby count as two patients, you get to spend a little more time with them than you would two adults.

I work nights and enjoy the more laid back atmosphere. Not that we aren't busy, but there is less traffic on the floor and fewer distractions.

Our typical workload is three/four couplets. We often start the night with three and end with four. There might also be moms whose babies are in NICU or babies whose moms are still in L&D (we have separate departments) on mag sulfate. We sometimes get a split assignment when we have a float nurse from another unit. If she's used to taking care of adults, she'll take the moms and the nurse from our unit takes all the babies. Or if she's from NICU, she'll take the babies and we take the moms.

I like family-centered care. Lots of opportunity for teaching dads as well as moms. There is so much to love about postpartum care. It's generally a happy time with basically healthy patients. This was a breath of fresh air for me after years of doing child and adolescent psych.

Maybe you could do a job shadow before you make a commitment.

Let us know what happens.