male ob nurses

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I'm a RN student in my ob/gyn clinical rotation and I'm just wondering, are there any male OB nurses around. Or would I be the only one?

Specializes in Community, OB, Nursery.

I love our L/D staff as it is, but would gladly welcome anyone else who cares about people, male or female.

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To V SPN: I am a professor of nursing and a nurse-midwife at Duke. I teach maternity and community health in an accelerated program. I agree with all the other postings. Pursue what you are passionate about. Men have been part of birth in hospitals for decades...they are called physicians and fathers. You have a place there...it will not be your gender that you will be judged by, but rather you compassion towards women, their families and you skill and ability to protect NORMAL BIRTH. I have worked with male RN's and male midwives. Two of the best L&D nurses I ever worked with were men (both went on to be CNM's). It is about your attitude. This year at Duke in our junior class we have 13 bright, eager men. I will tell them the same thing about OB that I will tell you. If you project that you should not be there to women then they will request a female nurse. If you project your place and have confidence in your role...you will be just fine. "Shift your thougths and the actions/acts will follow."

Step up to the plate and BE the best you can be. It is about skills and compassion. Good luck,

Helen Gordon CNM, MS, DNP (to be soon!)

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Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.

Thanks for your input, Helen and I want to welcome you to allnurses.com and the OB forum!!!! Glad you are here.

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Sure as a man you can work Ob and successfuly. pateints really dont care and the rare situations that it is a problem are easily fixed by changing assighnments.

That being said i would recomemnd that if you have a love for another kind of nursing you should presue that. The reason is that no matter how good of a nurse you are , how much your patients love you or how respected you become amoung other nurses. You will always be different. people will always asume they know things about you based on your gender and a few (no matter how they denigh it) will always hold gender related things aginst you. with all the other things you need to worry about in nursing why take on the extra?

If you truely love Ob and wont be happy without it then go for it but if you can be happy elsewhere then do so

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Specializes in Emergency Nursing, CPEN, Pediatrics, Obstetric.

Another male nurse here working OB. I have been in L/D nd nursery for 2 years now and can count on one hand the times problems have come up requiring a need to switch assignments. There will be those time, just so you know, but that cannot dicourage you. Currently I am doing Labor patients, but am looking to go to a larger facility with level 2 nursery capabilities-my true love. That is the best of both worlds for me, attending deliveries and doing neonatal care. My coworkers have been great and there are often times just me and one other nurse, so they don't look at me differently. Go for it! I like evey part of the job, except the breastfeeding part-never did master it!

Just curious, where do you other male Ob RNs work, as far as what type/level facility? Just a small community hospital with approx. 700 deliveries yearly here.

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Go for it!! There are two males nurses on our OB/GYN ward and they are beloved.

My facility is a large hospital outside a major city.

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Ive worked at both ends of it.

i started at a small 50 delevry a month hopital, worked at the largest L&D in the state and now back to 100 deliverys a month place.

The bigger the better for us. lots of different nurses, less time for them to talk and less energy they have to spend on you.

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As long as male nurses understand and accept it when a female patient declines care from them, it is fine. Every woman's needs should be respected in this situation. She should have easy access to all female care if she desires. For many women it is a matter of modesty, embarrassment, trust and comfort during a vulnerable time.

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Specializes in OB, Burns.

I am an OB nurse, been in the field for about 8 years, since I used to work with burned children, I think that this is the happiest floor in the hospital.

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I'm a RN student in my ob/gyn clinical rotation and I'm just wondering, are there any male OB nurses around. Or would I be the only one?

I am going to be graduating soon as a male RN. By far my favorite rotation has been the OB. The first time I had ever held a baby was when the Doctor handed it to me just after it had been delivered. I don't see how a job were your there for one of a couple's happiest and most important day of their lives could ever get old. I appreciate the people in this thread that make it sound possible, I have sort of been writing it off.

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Specializes in OB.

To the poster who asked about the difference between a midwife and a perinatal NP:

Midwives care for healthy women with (for the most part) healthy pregnancies. If they develop complications such as hyperthyroid, severe diabetes, or have an anomoly show up on US or via some other testing, the patient may be referred to a perinatologist (or perinatal NP). They specialize in high risk OB.

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Specializes in L&D; Case Management; Nursing Education.

I worked with a male L&D nurse who was a traveler. He stayed on our unit for 6 months and was a fabulous nurse. The patients loved him. He taught me alot and was really fun to work with. Haven't seen any others since, though.

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