How much of orientation is sufficient for Mother/Baby?

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Specializes in Telemetry, OB, NICU.

Hello all,

I am starting my new job in Mother/baby unit next Monday. My orientation is going to be 6-8 weeks (including hospital orientation too); it is said on the schedule that, it is 3 weeks on days, and 5 weeks on nights. I am eventually going to be doing night shift. I am a little worried, because the set goals say that I am expected to be able to care for 2 patients by the end of first week of floor orientation, 4 after 2nd week,... etc. It seemed a little fast paced to me.

I have 1.5 year of surgical telemetry experience before this. If it was anything close to my experience, I wouldn't worry at all. But this is a whole different specialty, and I am afraid of not getting a grasp of things that fast. Do you all think this is normal and sufficient for someone with no experience in this area? Is it doable? or how is it in your unit? Any advice for easier adaptation?

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Specializes in OB.

I think you'll find your orientation to be long enough. The role of a mother/baby nurse is very different than many other areas of nursing.(be prepared to do lots of teaching.)

As a new grad I had a 12 week orientation on labor and delivery. In this time, I was expected to be able to care for a laboring pt, circulate during c sections and take care of high risk antepartum/postpartum pts. (I survived)

You are an experienced nurse, you already know how to take care of pts, you just have to rewire your brain for postpartum patients. My only advice to you- read this book

https://evolve.elsevier.com/productPages/s_2261.html

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Specializes in Telemetry, OB, NICU.

Thank you anggelRN! Yes, I know it is a lot of teaching. Only if I knew it, I sure would teach. lol.That's another thing. I need to learn all that before I can teach. I just hope I survive. I actually bought me a handbook about maternal nursing and this book:

I used this book for nursing school too, and found it very easy and fun to read. So, I am planning to go by this.

Thank you again! Please keep the comments coming!

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Specializes in Perinatal.

I am a new grad intern in mother/baby. On my third day of orientation, I was told I needed to start carrying a full load (4 couplets; 8 patients). I have been doing that since my 4th day on the floor. I had only one day of mother/baby in school and it was just observation really. I have just finished the 7th of 8 weeks of my internship and I'm still hanging in there. It's busy, lots of teaching, and I'm still working on time management. Working 12 hour days means 2 assessments a shift with charting; that's charting twice a day on 8 patients and it's taking me forever. Getting a fresh c/s patient also always puts me back because of the time and attention they require. I really enjoy it but I don't stop running for 12 hours!

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Specializes in Telemetry, OB, NICU.
I am a new grad intern in mother/baby. On my third day of orientation, I was told I needed to start carrying a full load (4 couplets; 8 patients). I have been doing that since my 4th day on the floor. I had only one day of mother/baby in school and it was just observation really. I have just finished the 7th of 8 weeks of my internship and I'm still hanging in there. It's busy, lots of teaching, and I'm still working on time management. Working 12 hour days means 2 assessments a shift with charting; that's charting twice a day on 8 patients and it's taking me forever. Getting a fresh c/s patient also always puts me back because of the time and attention they require. I really enjoy it but I don't stop running for 12 hours!

Haha, honey, I am coming from telemetry. I don't think any place can be worse than that.

Thank you for your input! I said 3 weeks on days, but I just checked the scheduled again. It is actually 2 weeks. I guess I will be fine with time management; a lot of experience there.

I am glad to hear that you were able to handle full load that quick. Hopefully, I can say the same!

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Specializes in Perinatal.

I'm sure you will be fine and will find it much easier than tele. I guess my point was that if I'm able to handle a full load by my fourth day as a new grad, you will have no problems! Good luck and let us know how you like it :)

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I'm also starting orientation on Monday for my new job on the mother/baby unit. :) I was given 30 days of orientation, including the generic nursing orientation which is 5 days - so 25 shifts of orientation on the unit. I will eventually be nights as well and I think I have 2 weeks of orientation on days and 3 on nights. I used to be a med/surg float, but have been home with my kids for the past 10+ years. I took a refresher course this summer that included over 100 clinical hours. The nurses I've spoken with on the unit have all told me that my orientation should be plenty long enough, and that even when I'm off orientation, my patient assignment will probably be kept pretty light until I feel completely comfortable on the unit. I purchased "The Clinical Companion for Maternity and Newborn Nursing, 2nd edition" and it's been a great resource. I like this book because it's small and can easily be kept at my work station to use as a reference. I also ordered an infant/peds stethoscope today as that was highly recommended to have on hand. The nurses said the scopes provided on the unit aren't nearly as high quality as the Litmann stethoscopes. Best of luck to you! I'm so excited to be getting back into nursing and to have been offered a job on this unit!!

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Specializes in Telemetry, OB, NICU.
I'm also starting orientation on Monday for my new job on the mother/baby unit. :) I was given 30 days of orientation, including the generic nursing orientation which is 5 days - so 25 shifts of orientation on the unit. I will eventually be nights as well and I think I have 2 weeks of orientation on days and 3 on nights. I used to be a med/surg float, but have been home with my kids for the past 10+ years. I took a refresher course this summer that included over 100 clinical hours. The nurses I've spoken with on the unit have all told me that my orientation should be plenty long enough, and that even when I'm off orientation, my patient assignment will probably be kept pretty light until I feel completely comfortable on the unit. I purchased "The Clinical Companion for Maternity and Newborn Nursing, 2nd edition" and it's been a great resource. I like this book because it's small and can easily be kept at my work station to use as a reference. I also ordered an infant/peds stethoscope today as that was highly recommended to have on hand. The nurses said the scopes provided on the unit aren't nearly as high quality as the Litmann stethoscopes. Best of luck to you! I'm so excited to be getting back into nursing and to have been offered a job on this unit!!

Thank you!

I have no idea how supplies work in my new job. I wasn't told anything yet.

Good luck to you too!!

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Specializes in Postpartum, Med Surg, Home Health.

Hi Seas, I know it's several years later but I was wondering how you are doing? How did your orientation go?

And the rest of the posters who posted on this thread that they are starting new jobs on mother baby?

I am starting my postpartum position soon! So I've been searching these threads...

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