Is This Normal?

Hey guys!

I just finished my third semester of nursing school. Next semester is ob/peds. About a week ago our instructor for ob/peds emailed us an assignment that is due on the first day of class. We have to write an essay covering these topics:

Anticipatoryguidance r/t assumption of the parenting role including content to betaught

relatedto the following areas:

1. 
   
2. Infant feeding (include how often to feed; how much to feed; how long
   

formula& breast milk are okay at room temperature, in refrigeration, &frozen; burping; breastfeeding positions; formula & nipplepreparation; warming; breast milk containers; discarding formula;etc.)

1. 
   
2. Cord/circumcision/non-circumcision care/hygiene (include sponge bath until
   

circumcision& umbilical cord heal, diapering, petroleum jelly, etc.)

c. Usual infant behaviors -

1) Crying (why infants cry, soothing methods, etc.)

2) Sleep (number of hours newborns sleep)

3) Elimination (describe appearance of stools: meconium to seedy, etc.;differences

betweenbreast-fed & bottle-fed stools; number of stools daily; &voiding pattern)

4) Mobility (include reflexes & milestones)

d. Infant safety (include safe-to-sleep; no co-sleeping; abduction;crib safety; clothes; car

seat; no bumpers, stuffed animals, toys, & blankets incrib; mattress; etc.)

e. Bathing

f. Infant assessment lab tests (include routine labs mandated bystate law)

g. Immunization needs (include an up-to-date immunization chart)

h. Infant behaviors to be reported to the health care provider

Anticipatoryguidance r/t self-care postpartum including content to be taughtrelated to the

followingareas:

a. Uterine involution/prevention of bleeding

b. Prevention of infection (include hand hygiene, pad disposal, whento change peri-pad,

notampons, etc.)

1. 
   
2. Breast care for nursing & non-nursing (include bra, mastitis, engorgement, cleansing, air
   

drying,nipple care, etc.)

d. Nutrition (additional calories for lactation, fiber, fluids,protein, vitamin C, iron, etc.)

e. Change in role/family system (include parents & siblings)

f. Resumption of sexual activity (include lubricant & time frame)

g. Contraception (include becoming pregnant before menses returns &types of

birthcontrol for lactating & non-lactating)

h. Rest & activity (include exercises for postpartum &cesarean, Kegel exercises, etc.)

i. Self-care (include incision care, episiotomy care, perineal care,sitz bath, hemorrhoids, constipation,splinting incision, pain management, etc.)

j. What to report to the health care provider

Is this a normal assignment? It seems like a lot of information to me, especially since it's due before we have a single class. Have any of you had to write a paper like this? If so, how did you approach it?

Any thoughts would be appreciated!

Thanks!

There's a lot there but all the information is readily available.

My approach would be to sit down and start answering each one

[RunBabyRN]

I think they just want you to have a sense of this stuff before going in, but it does seem like a lot to research if you don't already know this stuff. Much of this can be Googled, like the imms schedule and such. Kellymom.com and llli.org can be good resources for some of the feeding and infant care information.

I can't imagine they'd expect this to be perfect, considering you haven't covered any of this material yet. Do you have your textbook yet? Some of this, especially what to report to the HCP or the psychosocial stuff like change in role, I would think would really require you to have gone through the class to really be able to speak to.

[smf0903]

We had a 10 page assignment plus around 25 medications we had to look up and write out information for prior to our first day of OB, so I'd say yes it's normal LOL.

Good luck :)

[LadyFree28, BSN, RN]

Yup, it's normal.

Do you have your required and recommended resources? If so, all the answers will be available.

Best wishes.

[KelRN215, BSN, RN]

I don't know why it would be abnormal. This is all pretty basic stuff for OB and the information can be easily found in the text book you will be required to use for your class or online.

[HouTx, BSN, MSN, EdD]

Hmm - sounds like they are 'flipping the classroom' a bit. This means that students have to engage in 'knowledge acquisition' prior to coming to class. Then, rather than endless lectures, classroom time is spent in discussing/applying the knowledge. Then end result is a much deeper understanding of the material, but it does take some adjustment.

[SopranoKris, MSN, RN, APRN]

This is "normal" in many OB courses. For you to be able to fully engage in clinicals, you need baseline knowledge up front. I know we had a LOT of information that had to be learned before clinical day 1. We learned everything "backwards". Which means, we started with post-partum, then birth, then pregnancy, etc.

[windsurfer8, BSN, RN]

There is nothing "normal" or "abnormal" about it. You need to just DO IT. If you feel you should not have to do that much work then quit and do something else. It makes absolutely no difference if people here think it is "normal" because it is required to do. Focus on completing the task at hand. That is all. Then before you know it school is over and you are taking the NCLEX. Good Luck.

[Undone]

It seems normal and very much like the assignment I had due before starting OB. Instead of focusing on how much work it is, be aware that once you have looked up and then rewritten all of this information (especially if you use your required text) that you will retain more of it than if you were handed it in a power point. You will also probably end up reading more than just that info during your search.

Copying from someone else will not help you gain knowledge, I know many people who did that.

Believe it or not, it really is an assignment that is for your own good.