Maternity Nurse Q's

[Jesshewitt]

Hi everyone!

This is the first time I'm posting and I've decided that 4am is a good time to figure out my life haha. I've just recently completed my maternity and paediatrics rotation and I fell in love with maternity (I only got to experince working pp but I did get to observe in on a L&D). The nurse educator on the floor came up to me one day, complimented me on how I cared for my patients and basically told me if I was interested in a job to contact her once I graduated.

My problem is that a lot of people think doing a year of med-surg is needed, but ultimately that's not where I want to go and I feel I'd be really unhappy there. My actual question is, do you think as a maternity nurse that you "lose your skills"? I know the majority of the patients are healthy, but this is really where I could see myself and then one day working in the NICU. Does anyone have anything you could tell me about being a maternity nurse?

Thanks in advance!

Jess

[Rose_Queen, BSN, MSN, RN]

I don't have anything to tell you about maternity nursing, but I do have a (rather strong) opinion about that year of med/surg: it's a crock of you know what. Med/surg is a specialty in its own right; there is no reason that every single nurse needs to start there. I've worked with several nurses who started out in the OR (I did the same) who then, as their career progressed, chose to move into other specialties including ICU, home health, med/surg, hospice, and a few others- and did so successfully. The thing about skills is that they can be learned and/or relearned.

[Sour Lemon]

Hi everyone!

This is the first time I'm posting and I've decided that 4am is a good time to figure out my life haha. I've just recently completed my maternity and paediatrics rotation and I fell in love with maternity (I only got to experince working pp but I did get to observe in on a L&D). The nurse educator on the floor came up to me one day, complimented me on how I cared for my patients and basically told me if I was interested in a job to contact her once I graduated.

My problem is that a lot of people think doing a year of med-surg is needed, but ultimately that's not where I want to go and I feel I'd be really unhappy there. My actual question is, do you think as a maternity nurse that you "lose your skills"? I know the majority of the patients are healthy, but this is really where I could see myself and then one day working in the NICU. Does anyone have anything you could tell me about being a maternity nurse?

Thanks in advance!

Jess

If maternity interests you and you're able to find a new graduate position, I think it's fine to start there. It would be easier to network and transition into NICU from maternity than it would be from med/surg.

[JanineKelbach, RN]

I started my career in OB, 15 years ago, and find happiness there. If I had to do MedSurg, I would. It wouldn't be my "happy" place, but I love caring for people and therefore, I would. I recommend doing what you love. If you are accepted, then build your knowledge on hard cases/patients. You don't need to know med-surg to do OB. We are all nurses. Your experience will be there if the hospital is busy.