Has anyone taken an interest in OB after other areas?

[ruralgirl08]

For all the OB nurses out there...did you know you wanted to work OB in school or after you had your own kids? I have been a med-surg/neuro nurse for almost 2 yrs. I would like to get into a more positive area of nursing with 1:1 patient care. I was never that interested in OB as a student, (possibly b/c I never got a OB rotation) and when I did get a couple experiences as a student, I kind of felt helpless coaching/teaching pts. when I have not had the experience of having children myself. But now I am married, have some general nursing experience, and am planning on starting a family soon, so I am reapproaching the idea. I would like to work in a more positive work environment, so far I have found nursing floors to be very stressful with constant negative undertones and it is really getting to me. I don't know if I will be able to handle a career in critical care, which is what I was originally planning on going into.

Please offer me some advice, did you find OB the switch you needed? Is it generally a more positive work environment? Do you generally leave work content with your shift?

[Divine intervention]

Hi, I've been an OB nurse mostly Labor & Delivery for 11 years now, while it is an enjoyable area as far as witnessing new life coming into the world, it really is not a positive area of nursing. It is a high stress environment with the same old nasty nurses, managers and doctors. As far as being 1:1 care, thats a myth there are times when you are juggling 2-3 patients in labor, and to quote one manager who was called in to help her unit during a very busy night "well you better hope no one else comes in" she goes right back to bed. Its not that different from any other area of nursing at all.

[babyburperrn]

I worked for 4 years in Acute Rehab nursing before training to L&D. I too was looking for a more positive environment and though I did not have kids, I was attracted to L&D.

That being said, L&D was not at all what I was expecting. Even though the ratio is lower, your work is very intense! L&D is part ED, OR, ICU at times. You have to think and act fast and be prepared for anything! It can be positive-there's nothing like a smooth delivery! But it can be heartbreaking-fetal demise, bad outcomes,etc. It can be very stressful and you can have the same issues you have on the floor,ie. petty nurses, negativity, etc. You deal with doctors more than you do on the floor and some of them can be nasty. You have to develop a thick skin. It helps if you have a good orientation and work with a group of nurses that love what they do and are willing to help you as you learn. And there is a lot to learn. There were times when I felt like I was a new nurse again!

Would I do it again? In a heartbeat! Now, I am actually happier working Mother Baby. No more fetal demises, and much less stressful most nights. I love teaching and Postpartum nursing is a lot about teaching. Holding newborns is great too! I spent 5 incredible years working L&D and don't regret it but was glad for the change in stress level. So my advice would be to talk to other L&D nurses first and also consider mother baby if you are looking for positivity and less stress. Wishing you the best!

[kemper1974]

I spent 8 years working ortho/neuro before I switched to OB in 1985. I learned so much on the ortho unit, but was starting to need a change. I have worked L&D, mother baby, management and NICU. I love L&D, but after 31 years in nursing, the babies are much easier to handle for me physically.

Your m/s experience will serve you well in OB. Good luck!

[RNBelle]

I have to agree with babyburperrn. My first job was PP, then moved and working on a very small unit where I mostly do L&D and then a littl PP and nursery. I love mother-baby. The stress level is much lower. I don't like being super stressed out at work. Right now I don't have any other options except continuing doing mostly L&D. But next opportunity its back to PP/nursery. I do LOVE the experience I have gotten and can manage PP and antepartum PTs a lot better. So I can't complain. Its just those nights we are slammed and short staffed and babies popping out everywhere, esh!