help rn on postpartum thinking about labor!!!

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Specializes in obgyn/women and infants.

Hey you guys I am currently a post partum nurse. I have been for a year now. I have recently been thinking about doing labor and delivery. The hospital I work at is high risk and we see it all. I'm afraid to transfer. I graduated a year ago and post partum is all I have known. I love the teaching aspect of my job and wish there was a way I could do both. Idk if I should stay with postpartum and just see what happens. Any advice.

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Don't be afraid. If it's really what you want go for it :) I wish I was in your position. Labor and delivery is my dream job! Sorry I don't have anything to back this up, just my opinion ;)

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Specializes in obgyn/women and infants.

Thanks. I really appreciate it.

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Specializes in Ante-Intra-Postpartum, Post Gyne.

Change is scary. Make sure you get adequate training, like 3 months. Take an labor & delivery and EFM review class.

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Specializes in Women's Services.

I was a PP RN out of nursing school for about a year too, loved the teaching part of the job but wanted more of a challenge. I took EFM classes, my ACLS, and any OB class I could get into so that my unit knew I was serious. I love doing L&D now. Its crazier, no doubt, and sometimes a little scary, but we really work as a team on my unit since we have so many high risk pts, which of course makes it easier. Every now and then I'll take a PP assignment to play with the babies, and to keep up my skills in breast feeding and pt teaching, but over all I'm glad I made the switch. You'll train for about (hopefully) 6-8 weeks in L&D, the first two you will wonder WTH was I thinking, maybe I'm not cut out for this...but I soon realized that all I had to do was trust my gut, my training, and time manage differently than I had before on PP and I soon figured it out. Were their days that I drove home in tears after a crazy STAT C/S? Absolutely...but I think everyone does that at some point...shoot I still have dreams/night mares about work, and replay a situation over in my head. So I guess the only thing you really need to decide is if you are ready to learn something new, and where you will see yourself in your RN career. Good luck! Let me know if you want any more info about switching. :)

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Specializes in obgyn/women and infants.

thanks im going to look into classes to take. Our unit is high risk as well, we see it all on pp so I can imagine how crazy labor can get. Any more advice you can give me I would appreciate it. I like pp but I am bored. I got into nursing for labor and delivery. I think i will give pp one more year then see what happens. I can always go to pp when they need help.

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