FINALLY!

Published

I have an interview in the morning for an OB RN position at an 8 bed labor and delivery unit!! I have been out of school for two years and currently work in the nursing pool at another hospital. I have no experience in L&D and I'm really hoping that they give me a chance. This is my DREAM JOB and the reason I went to nursing school. Any advise for my interview?

*Also, what questions should I ask them? And is an 8 bed L&D big or small?

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Nurse Leader specializing in Labor & Delivery.

Good luck to you! An 8-bed unit is small.

Questions I'd ask:

How many births a year?

What level of care is your nursery? (for a small unit, I would expect that it's just a well-baby nursery, but you never know)

What gestational age do you handle, and what is the typical process if you get a woman outside of those parameters?

Are all the nurses cross-trained to every area of OB (e.g. L&D, postpartum, nursery)?

Do you float your nurses to other units if census is low?

Do nurses from other units float to your unit?

What's the nurse/patient ratio for labor patients? Postpartum?

Do you circulate your own C/S or does the OR team handle them?

Do you have in-house anesthesia 24/7?

How long is orientation?

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Thanks for your answer! Great questions!! How many births/year would you expect for a small L&D?

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Nurse Leader specializing in Labor & Delivery.

By comparison, we have a 16-bed unit, in a community of around 120,000 people, and we do 1200-1400 births/year. We have 5 LDRs and 11 postpartum beds. We also have a 4-bay triage area.

An 8-bed unit, I might expect 600-800 births/year? Are they LDRPs, and if not, how many are LDRs and how many are PP beds?

Up Vote Up Vote ×

I'm not sure, the website said 8 bed L&D so I don't know what type of rooms they are. It is a small community hospital so I'm not expecting it to be a huge # of births/year. Just hoping I can get the experience. It's hard around here to get your foot in the door in OB.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Cardiac.

Its's hard everywhere to get into OB! Good Luck and I hope it wwnt welle

Up Vote Up Vote ×

Well.....just got home from my interview. It went really well, but I don't think I want the position. The problem is they only deliver 250 babies/year. When there are no patients you have to float on the other floors. I asked how often this happens and they said sometimes they have no OB patients for up to a week. When you do there is usually only one or two.

They have ONE labor room, ONE delivery room, and 4 semi-private post-partum rooms.

My fear is that I won't get enough experience to feel comfortable. Also, if I'm going to be doing med-surg 1/2 the time then I'll stay at my job I have now.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Nurse Leader specializing in Labor & Delivery.

I'm sorry it's not what you expected. I'm confused, though - 1 labor room, 1 delivery room, and 4 pp beds = 6. Sounds like their website is guilty of a little wishful thinking.

I guess you need to ask yourself - do you want med/surg, or do you want med/surg with a little OB thrown in? Does the rest of the job (such as hours, salary) make it more desirable than your current job?

Up Vote Up Vote ×
I'm sorry it's not what you expected. I'm confused, though - 1 labor room, 1 delivery room, and 4 pp beds = 6. Sounds like their website is guilty of a little wishful thinking.

I guess you need to ask yourself - do you want med/surg, or do you want med/surg with a little OB thrown in? Does the rest of the job (such as hours, salary) make it more desirable than your current job?

Well they have another room that is used for emergency sections so I guess that's another bed. Not sure how they got 8?There is only one shower for the entire floor and Dad's are not allowed to spend the night. It's very outdated. It's a nice little hospital, but like I said I won't get alot of experience.

I would love a little OB thrown it but the hours/salary would not be worth it. Being per-diem at my job now, I pick my own hours and get paid more. The only reason I was willing to give that up is to do OB FULLTIME! There are a few nurses that are getting near retirement at the hospital I work at now, so hopefully that would open up a position for me in the future. It's still a small OB but a closed unit, more modern, with a little more action. Thanks for all you support!!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.

Klone did a great job! I can't really add to it. I wish you success and hope you find the job you are well-suited and happy to do. Let us know how it all turns out in the end. Maybe the right job will be there very soon!

Up Vote Up Vote ×
Specializes in Cardiac.

Sorry about the letdown! But hopefully the right job will come along.

Up Vote Up Vote ×
+ Join the Discussion