L&D rotation as a guy

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Hello everyone:

I'm going into my second year and will be doing a L&D rotation.. I do believe they will be shortening it to 2 weeks instead of the usual but would like to hear from any guys how their experiences were on that rotation and any tips that could suggest. I'm really looking foward to the rotation, so that is a positive things..

Thanks

Terry.

Specializes in OB.

it is exactly what you make of it, I did OB rotation last year and now I am a full time OB nurse, I work in a relatively large teaching hospital, and out of maybe 100 or so patients , I have only had 2 that didn't want me to be their nurse, and I'm sure in other units the numbers are the same or higher (medical floors etc), So go in with an open mind and who knows you might just become and OB nurse.!

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This was a lot of great info Brian. Thanks for your posts and please, keep them coming!!!

Ask and I will reply the best I can. I am in this business to help. After all.

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Specializes in Critical Care.
...I was just wondering: do any of you guys have problems with clients not wanting you to give them baths, foleys, etc.

I'm just wondering for women clients and men clients.

Thanks!

Daniel

I put in my very first Foley in one of my L&D rotation patients. She had commented prior to the procedure that she had had unpleasant prior experiences with Foley insertions, but she didn't indicate any problem with a male nursing student providing this for her on that day, and the procedure went along smoothly. I was a lot more nervous than she was, this being my first time.

A few months later at a fast food restaurant, I was caught off guard when the cashier recognized me and announced to the entire dining room, "You! You put in my Foley! And you did a really good job!" :imbar

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Specializes in Pediatric Critical Care.

hahaha! I'd think it'd been more embarassing for the cashier to tell that to everyone! :p

:lol2:

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It's a very good experience for me. Postpartum is boring, because all I do is teaching and vital signs. Labor and delivery is awesome. Not only I help insert the catheter, I also get to see live delivery.

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Specializes in 4 years of nursing school.

My rotation was great. Instructor, Nurses on the unit, Doctors were all welcoming to me being the ONLY male future nurse on the floor. I enjoyed the L&D roatation for many reasons such as the skills, educating the patient and experiencing the miracile of a birth of a child. I was at first apprehensive of the Father of the child and made it a point to shake his hand and give my congrates on being a new father. Then thanking him and the Mother for allowing me to view the delivery. Everytime I did this sequence of events I was warmly welcomed and able to experience a total of 6 births. Never to be rejected.

Overall not my type of nursing field, but very fascinated with the communication skills nurses in L&D must practice with multiple cultures of our Great country America. Best of luck.

Dennis

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My L&D experience was a monumental waste of time. It is nice to see some others have had good experiences. I guess I am just unlucky :madface:

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My L&D rotation went pretty well. I helped with a delivery at 7am my first day, did the apgar, etc. An hour later I was in the OR observing a section.

In all honesty, the only problem I had the entire time was trying to maintain a fetal heart rate on an extremely obese woman.

My time on the mother/baby unit wasn't as good, but still a positive experience. Luckily I had an instructor that did her best to assign me bottle feeding mothers. Another good point: I never had to show a new mom how to tickle the baby's lips with her nipple :yeah:

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Specializes in Med Surg, ER, OR.

I liked my L&D rotation. i was suppsoed to have 8 hr of L&D and was supposed to see the entire process through. That didn't happen how i wanted it to, because I only was in the room for the delivery. Moms didn't want me in the room any earlier, cuz I am young I guess. So BS-ing really came in handy when I had to turn my homework in. Every student I know in the class, had to do that as well. it really is a great time though. only as good as you make it. Jump in and get as involved as the staff and docs/CNMs will let you. I even had one of the CRNAs show and explain all about the epidurals and lumbar blocks (which is primarily what they did).

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My L/D rotation starts next week. For the next 8 weeks 2x aweek.

There is a lot of things that I can't do. First off, no L/D. That's right, I can't watch or participate in a single delivery! Instead, I get to go to the GI lab and do a paper on that. I don't get to go to the breast care center and I can't do perineal care on a post op mother. However, breast exams are optional...? I might as well request to do another med/surge rotation.

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Specializes in Med-Surg, Cardiac.

Thanks for the info. I'll be to my Maternity rotation in 17 weeks and have been wondering about how a male will be received.

As to somebody's question about females letting males do intimate procedures on them, I've been refused permission to insert a foley on females a few times (never been allowed to yet). Funny thing is they never mind having me remove the foleys. :chuckle

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Specializes in SICU, MICU, CICU, NeuroICU.

My L&D rotation was cool. I got to see a lady partsl delivery and c-section twins. Maternity was stupid because my instructor had to accompany me whenever I had to do an assessment. Newborn was cool because I like babies, and NICU was really interesting because everything is miniturized.

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