Labor & Delivery

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I really want to work in Labor & Delivery, do they teach you all the things you need to learn in the RN program?

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Specializes in Complex pedi to LTC/SA & now a manager.

Simple answer is no. Nursing school is a basic generalist's nursing education. On the job training and continuing education plus experience is how you learn the specialty

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Specializes in L&D, infusion, urology.

They teach you some of the basics, but they DO NOT teach you everything you need to know. Remember that there are a TON of specialties in nursing, and there is no way possible to teach you everything you need to know for every single one in nursing school. You will need to get additional certifications (ACLS, NRP, FHM to name a few that most units require), and that's just the tip of the iceberg. Like JustBeachyNurse said, it takes training and experience to get it down. You'll have an opportunity to precept somewhere, and you can always request L&D (rarely a guarantee, just FYI).

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Specializes in Hospitalist Medicine.

We did, however, have an OB rotation in our clinicals. That gives you some exposure. As stated above, you'd have to get a few certifications to be able to do Maternity/OB

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Specializes in GI Surgery Step-down.

Is there any male OB nurse?? Do they hire?

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Specializes in Complex pedi to LTC/SA & now a manager.

While not common there are male nurses that work obstetrics/ LDRP.

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Specializes in EDUCATION;HOMECARE;MATERNAL-CHILD; PSYCH.

Nursing school will NOT teach you everything you will need to work in Labor and Delivery. It is a great specialty. However, you need more training. I encourage new graduates to do at least one or two years in other disciplines before coming to Labor and Delivery.

Labor and Delivery is the ICU of Obstetrics. You will need to be a critical thinker, know how to prioritize, how to be a patient advocate by being assertive, and know how to be an excellent patient educator and coach. Since the specialty is a high litigious area, the Labor and Delivery nurse needs to know how to practice defensively. This means documenting accurately and timely, and utilizing every resource available to optimize the care of obstetrics patients. The specialty requires knowing, how to read the fetal monitoring, basic EKG, operating room and PACU procedures, Neonatal resuscitation, and management of obstetrics emergencies. Recently, Labor and delivery nurses are required to know how to manage co-morbidities such as obstetrical patient with mental illness, cardio-respiratory diseases and other illnesses.

The specialty welcomes every gender. In fact, male nurses make excellent Labor and Delivery nurses. I have had the opportunity to work with the best male nurses in Obstetrics. Some of them go on to become Nurse Anesthetists.

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Specializes in L&D, infusion, urology.
Is there any male OB nurse?? Do they hire?

Why wouldn't men be allowed? I had a great male OB RN when I was in labor, and I've seen a few here and there. Just as there are male OB/GYNs, there are male OB RNs.

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thank you everyone! I have experience working in a Hospital Environment in almost every unit. I then switched to the OB clinic so I am familiar with that environment also. I just looked at the certificate requirements and luckily our hospital does most of the classes for that! My plan is to get my CNA first, get on as a on call something along those lines at the Hospital again, finish the nursing program as a RN enroll online for my BSN that way I have a better chance of getting hired at the hospital

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Specializes in GI Surgery Step-down.
Why wouldn't men be allowed? I had a great male OB RN when I was in labor, and I've seen a few here and there. Just as there are male OB/GYNs, there are male OB RNs.

Because I heard that they don't hire make nurses for labor and delivery units. I feel that some women are not feel comfortable with male nurses. Even for almost all my patient for clincal rotation was male. It was a Jewish hospital and my instructer gave me all the time only male patient.

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Specializes in GI Surgery Step-down.

It was a terrible day.. First day at labor and delivery rotation day and patient refuse to have male student nurse .. Felt terrible while expecting to see something really interesting. So please don't tell me that male nurses working at labor unit. I live in New York and I spoke w nurses at labor unit. Their all midways and nurses are female. And they don't hire male nurses for l&d unit.

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Specializes in Public Health.
It was a terrible day.. First day at labor and delivery rotation day and patient refuse to have male student nurse .. Felt terrible while expecting to see something really interesting. So please don't tell me that male nurses working at labor unit. I live in New York and I spoke w nurses at labor unit. Their all midways and nurses are female. And they don't hire male nurses for l&d unit.

Just because that one unit doesn't hire men, that doesn't mean it's that way everywhere.

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