First day on the Labor and Delivery unit

[Thedreamer]

It was amazing. I got to give pre and post care to a mother and watched her have her C-section. I have to say I was totally shocked at how much I loved the unit.

I was also the only male nurse on the entire floor. That made me giggle a little in my head. All in all I had a blast and learned an incredible amount of information!

Just thought id share.

[rodge]

cool! im excited and at the same time afraid for the possible outcome.. next month i will be exposed to delivery room.. good luck to me.. hahahahahaha.. :)

[Atl_John]

I wish my experience had been as positive as all of yours. I enjoyed the C-section but the nurse I was assigned too had some problems with me being a boy and made it pretty clear so it pretty much ruined it for me. Nursery was great but post-partum, sort of the same thing. I got some pretty bad vibes from the nurses. I wasn't even allowed to go to antenatal....the clinical has a no boys policy unless your an OB/GYN !!!!

[ewattsjt]

alt john, i do not know entirely how you feel but have been in uncomfortable situations created by female nurses on ob. i am currently a cst (certified surgical technologist) working on nursing. one day we had a stat c-section (fetal distress). as i was setting my backtable, i kept looking over my shoulder to see where the rest of the team was. it was to see how much time i had to set what and when to start moving my things over to the patient. a life is at stake so sometimes there isn’t even a prep, just a prophylactic antibiotic regiment because of no prep.

i will never forget how one of the ob nurses glared at me and then held a blanket up so i could not see anything. there was no doubt that she viewed me as some kind pervert or something. if it weren't for my love of helping patients, it would have been my last!!!!! i lost both my grandmothers from gyn diseases so i am somewhat drawn into it. since then, i have assisted in many deliveries, i am always requested by one gyn doc, and i am the favorite go to for laparoscopic assisted lady partsl hysterectomies, etc....

don't let simple minded people get the better of you. there are many facilities that can use your talent; it does not have to be the one you trained at.

[ewattsjt]

By the way, everyone else has treated me wonderfully!!!!!!!

[ramonmalino]

Despite having a very similar experience in L+D it was also my favorite clinical. I want to go on in my education and become a CRNA and hopefully get back to L+D. It's actually kind of funny, in a sad way, I mentioned in that clinical that I wanted to go on for my CRNA and one of the nurses, actually it was an NP, told me "Good for you, it's good that you want to go on. As a male nurse you probably wouldn't be able to do much at the bedside anyway, especially on a unit like this." Sadly, out of 250 clinical hours, that is the only statement that has stuck with me... oh the power of ignorance

[smirn80]

i myself had a wonderful experience in L&D, and this is oneof the rotations that I really enjoyed.

[Asklepios]

I'm starting the Nsg program this fall, and this is the portion I am least enthusiastic about. I am in my late 30s, and I have this feeling that the patients will be very apprehensive about a guy being involved. Plus, I'm not a "baby" person.

I just have this idea that I am going into this profession to take care of sick people, not to help bring new ones into the world. Pregnant women are (hopefully) healthy, and the infants are (hopefully) healthy. If need be, a woman could give birth in a taxi on the way to the hospital, over even choose to give birth in the comfort of her home. But a sick person, or a gunshot victim or a burn patient isn't in that position, and relies on nurses and doctors in order to survive and get better. I think I'll feel more needed in other areas besides L&D.

That said - God Bless the men and women who do work in L&D and make sure the mothers and babies are okay!

[swgabeswk]

I had the most wonderful experience last semester during my OB rotation. I could make instant connection with the mother and baby and the father... However, I was told that most hospitals OB floor don't hire male nurse to avoid some unnecessary red flags. :sad:

[Kiwimid]

Hi Guys, sorry i was veiwing the link. i live in New Zealand and we have a number of male midwives. I met one last week on a unit. i am a midwifery student myself, and dont let anyone put you off if you feel you have a passion for labour and delievery.. Come to nz.....