OB Rotation is Hell

Nursing Students Male Students

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I am a male nursing student. I am doing well in school overall and acing my Med surg rotations--However, my OB rotation is pure hell! i feel useless and out of place. They tossed me out of a Birthing room today because I was in the way of the doctor and nurse! They make me feel like a jerk and like I dont belong there--I dont want to fail this rotation because --right now I feel like a incompetant idiot! What are your thoughts about OB and Male nurses?

Specializes in Neonatal ICU (Cardiothoracic).

There was a saving grace, though.

I spent a great deal of time in the newborn nursery (and less in the NICU) and absolutely loved it.

Awesome!!!

Come join us in NICU.... we'd love to have ya...

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Specializes in CDI Supervisor; Formerly NICU.
Awesome!!!

Come join us in NICU.... we'd love to have ya...

I'm precepting there (or in the Nursery), in April. Already arranged it with a hospital and nurse. Can't wait. :)

It's definitely where I want to work.

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Sorry to butt in here.....but this really amazes me!

The #1 gender in OB docs is male. I have had far more male OBs than female. The medics/coremen I encountered in the military were also male. During one of my births, the male nurse seemed far more uncomfortable with the situation than I was.

I tell my kids that there is NO modesty in labor! Honestly, I didn't give a flip about the gender of the doc or the nurse....all I cared about was that I was in pain and wanted this over!

I also had the benefit of being raised by parents who treated us kids in a more gender-neutral fashion....insomuch as chores and the like. Also, my mother was an RN who openly talked about all medical issues so we saw stuff like this in a more clinical fashion than the average Joe.

BTW, if you think being a male nurse in OB is uncomfortable/unwelcome at first....try being a 5'2" 92lb combat medic in Iraq! (DD is.) It takes a bit before they treat you with respect. What really got their attention one day was when one large (ie: tall) male taunted my DD for being at the end of the group (who were on a long march with full rucksacks). She looked at him and said:"Ok, orificehole....I weigh less than 100lb and this rucksack weighs 70. You weigh 200. Let's put 140lbs on YOUR back and see how YOU do!" They left her alone after that. She pulls her own weight....and that literally can be more challenging than for the guys!

IMHO, when YOU don't focus on your gender but believe and act as though you belong there.....you will find life a bit easier.

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I just wanted to put in my opinion on OB rotation. I thought it would be weird at first, but I realized a woman in labor doesn't care who's doing what, she just wants an epidural or the baby out....whichever comes first. I'm lucky because my whole class is split up between like 5 hospitals...and I'm at the regional medical center, they see all the best trauma, as well as the best births. The other clinical sections are not happy cuz they say they're bored and only see 1 birth maybe. I've gotten to see C-sections and lady partsl and all that good stuff. From 13 y/o to 40 y/o having her 11th kid after smoking 2 packs a day, every kind of pt comes in. The nurses are all actually nice to me. It really is a good assessment rotation, plus I get to practice all the skills we learned so far, like IV's, Foleys, Piggybacks on piggybacks, etc. Sometimes it's boring, but sometimes not. My gf doesn't even mind me assessing pregnant ladies, haha which she probably shouldn't..but yea OB isn't bad. And I'm doing Peds too this semester, parents are actually pretty nice as well. The kids are good, but every now and then you get a kid who just will not cooperate period.

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Specializes in Management, Emergency, Psych, Med Surg.

I have been a nurse for 31 years. I did my OB rotation back when they were placing patients on alcohol drips to stop their labor. I hated OB then and I hate it now. I would not work OB if they paid me TRIPLE what I make now.

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Specializes in Psychiatry, ICU, ER.

OB rotation *is* hell, and it certainly hasn't been my experience that there's no modesty in labor. When I did L+D two weeks ago, I was prevented from seeing ANY births at all because neither of the two moms giving birth that evening would tolerate a male nursing student. It was really humiliating and boring.

I don't think there should be OB rotations in the first place, nor do I think maternity should be tested on the NCLEX. Not unless they start making students do a semester or half-semester of oncology, cardiology, critical care, etc. etc., which in the long run would probably be far more worthwhile.

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I am going to agree with the statement that OB is hell.

I was at a high risk facility in Detroit and it was positively awful. I work as a tech / nurse assistant a few days a week and I have seen alot. Never had I felt so out of place in my life. Luckily my clinical instructor was cool and knew that I had zero interest in working in OB. Just keep your head low, do what is required, and do not take offense if a patient denies a male student.

I honestly think male nursing students should be allowed to opt out of OB for a different rotation. I just wasted 2 months on something that I will memorize on the NCLEX and forget soon after....

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Specializes in Cardiac ICU.
I don't think there should be OB rotations in the first place, nor do I think maternity should be tested on the NCLEX. Not unless they start making students do a semester or half-semester of oncology, cardiology, critical care, etc. etc., which in the long run would probably be far more worthwhile.

Amen brother

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Specializes in Emergency Dept. Trauma. Pediatrics.

I am a female and I am not even a nursing student until August, but I wanted to say it makes me very sad how some of you have been treated. I understand it though a little, as in your feelings, I have 3 sons and one has tried to babysit (teen trying to earn money who isn't old enough for a job) he is WONDERFUL with kids and is a huge help to his siblings and took the babysitter class. Well of course everyone wants to pass on a male babysitter, when I worked in childcare it was taboo to hire males as well. It's very upsetting, I have had 4 children and a lot of OB problems in general leading to a hysterectomy. I have had MANY male nurses and never batted an eye. I think it helps that I had so much experience at first in naval hospitals where it was more male then female (from what I ever saw) and nothing was private, I would be up in stirups for a colposcopy and there would be 10 people looking at my cervix on the TV :|

Anyway, only piece of advice I can give as a woman who has had males in the rooms many times, go in there not scared or withdrawn, go in there friendly and alert and smile and act like you SHOULD be there, be very warm. As a woman an attitude like that from a man, sets us more at ease, IMO. Ones that seem to impersonal and uncomfortable in turn make us feel the same. Obviously there will always be people that still pre judge you. My husband was one that always said "get a woman doctor" and stuff. I told him to deal with it. LOL Although he didn't want any guys seeing me, he never got in the way or asked for them to leave.

Hang in their guys, hopefully you can get some patients like me that aren't going to prejudge you right off the bat. I have had some very bad experiences with males in the health field (Dr's not nurses) but had them with females as well.

Then again, one of my best friends is a surge tech and a gay male and he has babysat my kids for me a few times to help me out and just about everyone had an opinion on that. Didn't bother me a bit though. I am glad to see more Males in the nursing field, I have worked jobs with ONLY woman and MAN OH MAN :p

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I just finished mine. I hated it not because of feeling uncomfortable or anything. The nurses and patients were great and I learned a few things. It was just so BORING! The patients were all very stable and pain controlled. Several, of course, were not new time mothers so the experience was all old hat to them. The worst part was the careplans we had to write: My instructor took them WAYYYY too seriously.

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Specializes in As a student.

I am almost finished with my OB rotation, and it is going OK. My clinical instructor is very good about getting me assigned to patients in a very professional and matter of fact manner. She merely says, "My names is Ms. Instructor and I have a student I would like to assign to work with you and your nurse, his name is Bill. Can he help take care of you today? "

I have done postpartum two days already with no problems. In L&D worked with two patients: one was no problem, witnessed everything from epidural, AROM, thru birth; another patient in L&D later that day -- the female DOCTOR came in after I was well established with the patient and the DOCTOR asked me to go stand at the door while she asked the patient twice if she minded having a student in the room and then if she minded having a male in the room. The doctor later sought me out and invited me to watch the delivery. My shift ended before delivery.... I know she felt bad about how she handled the situation--she was very friendly on a different floor the next clinical day, going out of her way to say hello to me. I think it helped things that I did not get an attitude, and I stayed very busy helping the patient with basic care and ADLs. Labor and delivery is a very emotional time, and I well understand if a lady does not want me in the room. So far, it has only been a doctor who created a fuss.

My instructor wanted me to ask you guys who have had negative experiences, what part of the country you are in? Tampa, Florida here.

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