Maybe OB nursing is not for me??

[AndiRNschoolnurse]

Let me start by giving you a little background about my experience. I graduated in 2008 and started working as a float nurse in a small rural hospital. I worked on all areas such as: ICU, stepdown, ER, Ortho/Neuro, Med/Surg, and Skilled care. I was a good nurse, well liked and my peers respected me. I made patients happy and rarely ever had any issues. I didn't like going to work every night not knowing what kind of assignment I would have and I got dumped on a lot. Im sure you know what I mean- if your unit has floats- I often got the hardest patients, full cares, or heavy load. After about a year I decided I needed a change because I didn't "love" my job. I wanted to be one of those passionate nurses that LOVED my job!!

So I looked around and in December interviewed for a position in OB. In our department you work all Mom/Babe, Nursery and L&D. Since I had some experience my orientation to M/B was short maybe a full week on the floor and the nursery orientation as well. I did orientate back in labor for 3 months- which is our standard that all new nurses do- with no L&D experience. I felt like on orientation I had a lot of normal deliveries, NSTs, Outpatients, and scheduled C/S. But in my mind I felt ready and my preceptor agreed. I orientated on days and then only had 1 week in L&D at night. However I quickly learned that L&D at night was a different kind of animal.

Since going on my own early in the summer I have faced many emergency C/S, placenta abruptio and many emergent situations back in L&D. After every situation I was taken into my mangers office and told that I didn't handle the situation right. I've tried my hardest and asked for help when I need it, but Im still getting taken in her office and told that Im not doing a good job. There are a few night nurses that have it out for me- will help me but then turn around and tell my manager how incompetent I am. I've been in my mangers office a hand full of times and really am trying my hardest. I've been frustrated to say the least:uhoh3:!!

Then just a few days ago I received my annual review and at that time a situation came up about something so trivial that happened one night on mom/baby. I felt it was trivial but apparently the Dr that it had to deal with had not. She wrote me up and I received discipline:mad: I've never been put on discipline before and consider myself a good nurse. I just feel like I keep making small mistakes and Im constantly being watched. I really do like OB nursing but maybe I made the wrong choice.

To boot- I've been looking for other jobs, which seems kinda impossible considering Im pregnant and due early this winter. Im guess Im just kinda at a loss. A part of me wants to fix whats wrong but another part of me is thinking maybe I should do something else- office nursing?? I dunno. Its just frustrating because I've always been told what a great nurse I am and I feel like Im not that anymore. Any advice is appreciated. Thanks for reading- I know its long!!

[stustressed]

Do you like OB nursing? Take everything else out of the equation... Do you love the deliveries, the emergent situations, the moms, the babys? If you do then maybe the OB unit at this hospital isn't the right fit. If you don't, then you might need to move on. What I heard in your post is disturbing...It seems as if you've lost confidence in yourself. Don't do that. Especially if you know you are a good nurse (and you've been told that numerous times). I see you can approach it a few ways. 1. If you truly feel that OB nursing is what you want to do then pick your chin up, have confidence in yourself and continue to hang in there in that unit. Maybe move to days if possible. 2. If you do love OB then try to get another L&D job at another hospital (although, it might be difficult with the pregnancy) 3. Shadow another aspect of nursing to see if you fit somewhere else. Peds, gerontology, hospice??? Don't give up on yourself.

OB nursing is difficult and working with mostly women can be difficult and there can be a lot of backstabbing. That might not have been something you were as exposed to b/c you floated- now that you have a permanent unit, you might see it more often. Hang in there.

[FancyNaN]

Don't start feeling that any of this has to do with your nursing abilities. You unfortunately picked an area to work that in many places tend to have many clicks, and people that feel the need to down on others to make themselves look better can make it hard. If your co-workers felt that you were a danger in any way then they acted correctly in talking with your supervisor... but many times people act in other ways.

I too was a float nurse for many years and you are right... we get dumped on. I now have a set floor and even on a large step-down unit such as mine I see what happens when a "power" person does not like someone.... its like they painted a bullseye on their back for the other nurses and they fire with great aim.

My advice is to do what you heart tells you. If you love the OB then stick it out. Learn from each of these experiences, ask questions if you need to and expand your knowledge of your area. One day you will be more confident and those around you will see that you are willing to learn and not going to give up.

And always remember... none of us know everything... and never will. Those who act like they do probably know the least.

Take care and good luck!

[HannahLeah]

Hi, I heard 3 things in your post that resonated with me and my experiences: small rural hospital, night shift OB and your sense of being "ready" after a few months of day shifts. In our small hospital, night shift OB was a very lonely, very dangerous place to be IF you were not prepared to quickly and competently handle whatever walked in the door. There was no "back-up" staff like during the day, no docs wanted to be woke up unless they needed to come "right now", even the supervisors who were down in the ER were afraid of OB. I also was dumped out onto night shift L&D alone and inexperienced and went to work with a huge knot in my stomach for a very long time.

Later, when I was experienced and confident, the scariest thing I encountered was new nurses who didn't even know what they didn't know and acted over confident. I knew they couldn't possibly be as competent as they thought they were and I was put off by them if they didn't seem to recognize how scared they should be. They were a danger, an accident waiting to happen, and there is no room for that when someones precious baby is involved.

Could this be where you are? Your attitudes toward experienced staff need to show an obvious recognition for their superiority over you- they know that they know better than you do and you should know that too. Ask for help and advice, admit when you're "just not sure" and want the reassurances of someone who IS sure.

Learning all the little details of OB takes a long time, especially in a lower volume, small rural hospital and the nurses who have survived and made it their place are rightfully proud and protective of their status. They worked hard and suffered many scary nights to be where they are and will not give you that status easily, you will have to earn it. I survived and I came to love the independence and the responsibility of night shift. You can do it too. Good Luck!

[manday]

I too am going through a similar situation, our hospital does all 3 areas also. Its so hard too because I have worked do hard to get to where I am, but there is soo much to learn sometimes small details get missed. I would suggest you stick it out a little longer to see if it gets better, thats what Im doing. good luck to you.