OB Clinicals

dspring, RN · Feb 23, 2005

All and all my OB rotation wasn't too bad. The worst part was my instructor. My first patient I had on my own, she was in to "watch" my assessment. I did the breast examine, and she says to me in front of the patients husband "no this is how you do it" she then repeated the examine exactly the way I did it. When it cane time to check her episiotomy , and her tear, she was a grava 1 para 1 with a 10 lb baby. I looked at the tear, and the instructor tells me that I needed to take a closer look. I looked at my instructor, and told her I can see just fine, and she backed off. I think my instructor was just trying to get me frustrated, and I didn't let her. The rest of the rotation was just fine

Funnyboy · Feb 23, 2005

I have just graduated and have taken my NCLEX exam, I am now a L&D RN and enjoy it very much. I thank the Lord that I have a job that I am blessed to partake in. Remember guys, it is the sight of a newborn that is the reward.

dspring, RN · Feb 23, 2005

In all the years I worked ER I myself only delivered one baby, and what a rush it was I was taking this girl over to OB, and for some reason we put her on a stretcher instead of a wheelchair as we always do. As I was entering the doors to OB the girl yells Oh God something is coming out. I pushed her into the L&D Suite, told the OB nurses she said something was coming out. I pulled her pants down, and before the other nurses could get across the room the head was out, and I was suctioning this beautiful little newborn. The funniest thing about the whole situation was just as we were leaving the ER one of my co workers yelled over, and told me not to stay and deliever the baby.

Thunderwolf, MSN, RN · Feb 24, 2005

I was humbled.

kmchugh · Feb 24, 2005

I hated, and I mean HATED my clinical rotations in OB in nursing school. So much so that I can within a hair's breadth of quitting the nursing program less than half way through that semester (3d semester of a 4 semester program). Up to that point, I had loved what I was learning, and was carrying a 4.0 in nursing school. I was so close to quitting that I went to the Dean of the undergrad program and told her I was thinking about leaving nursing. My instructor in OB did not believe that men belonged in nursing, and did everything she could to make it as difficult on men as she possibly could. In the first session of a class after mine, when she saw all women in class, she made the comment that "this is what nurses are supposed to be."

I hated OB so much that when I started my CRNA program, I dreaded my OB rotations. I can't remember for sure, but I think I even went to the CRNA program director, Tony Chipas, to discuss my worries over going back to OB. Fortunately for me, I had several great instructors there, and found I really enjoyed doing OB anesthesia. Enough so that when I looked to leave Wichita, and find a new job, I wanted to find one that would let me do some OB. So, I guess it all balanced out.

Kevin McHugh

rjflyn, ASN, RN · Feb 24, 2005

Enjoyed it. During our rotation there were 12 student half went to the nursery the other half with the moms and moms to be. Our instructor had prescreened the patients the evening before and again just before we started the day. We knew going in that the patients had already been informed that they might have a male nursing student caring for them that day. She also was present with us any time we were doing peri/episiotmy checks. Personally I thought it was way too short.

Like a couple of the other posters though I did at times feel out of place. It was not all the time however. What helped for me was at the time I worked at the hospital as a Paramedic for the ambulance service and we did difficult IV starts and had the opportunity to have interacted with most if not all the nurses in the 8 or so years prior to me going to nursing school.

Rj

Thunderwolf, MSN, RN · Mar 1, 2005

---moving thread up---

Moscow · Mar 4, 2005

Personally I felt out of place! I must admit it was the most exciting rotation ever. It was the first time I saw an actual birth. WOW!!!!!!! Of course you have some moms that don't want the "male" nurses around. A lot of them confuse us with docs, but eventually they give in. Then you have the moms who just love all the male presence. (????) I had lot's of fun! But like I said before I felt out of place. Would I ever go into Mat/OB???? No! Just my two cents! Tooooo much estrogen for me! I have enough of that at home!

Eventually they give in? You have hit the nail on the head. The patient is the person with the rights.

Moscow · Mar 4, 2005

Carolynd ,In the eaerly 70's I had limited experience in my general nurse training in gyny wards because i was a nurse who happened to be a male,however by the time I had finished the veils had been lifted i trained and a pupil midwife and completed the training and have been a licensed Midwife for about 30 yrs now. there are always some Ladies who prefer female doctors and nurses and there are probably more who are not bothered by the gender issue as long as you are competent to do the care required and have some practicale experience you can pass on to them and there husbands.

Women generally do not like the idea of male nurses. Some of them are not too happy about male doctors.

The hospital should ask first. The male nurse should not do the asking. He should not even be in the room when she is asked. If she delays for more than a second it should be marked as a 'no'.

Most females do not like the idea or practice of male nurses when they are giving birth. It is usually something 'presented' to them when they are least able to resist it. It is an appalling care strategy.

It is a dreadful time to spring social engineering and political corectness into the equation. Male nurses should certainly not be allowed near Moslem females etc. and expectant patients with prior sexual abuse histories etc.

Moscow · Mar 4, 2005

'"I have a male nursing student with me today, is it okay if he comes in?" Not exactly a welcoming experience. Also, there were no male nurses on the entire floor of the hospital. No male staff restroom or locker room. @

If she was asked that in front of you it is appalling. The male nurse should *never* be in view or ear-shot when the patient is asked.

Moscow · Mar 4, 2005

Enjoyed it. During our rotation there were 12 student half went to the nursery the other half with the moms and moms to be. Our instructor had prescreened the patients the evening before and again just before we started the day. We knew going in that the patients had already been informed that they might have a male nursing student caring for them that day. She also was present with us any time we were doing peri/episiotmy checks. Personally I thought it was way too short.
Like a couple of the other posters though I did at times feel out of place. It was not all the time however. What helped for me was at the time I worked at the hospital as a Paramedic for the ambulance service and we did difficult IV starts and had the opportunity to have interacted with most if not all the nurses in the 8 or so years prior to me going to nursing school.
Rj

That is the way to go. The patient should be asked a day in advance and then asked again just before etc. A bad experience can't be fixed. Nobody can go back and remove bad stuff from a patient's memory.

Many women will have abuse histories, religious issues and orthodox preferences. Generally speaking male nurses carry a higher risk of issues related to increased stress and emotional discomfort etc.

Half of the USA do not really think male nursing is for them as a factor of inclination and prejudice, many females have *real* reasons not to want a male nurse within their sphere of experience.

Moscow · Mar 4, 2005

I hated, and I mean HATED my clinical rotations in OB in nursing school. So much so that I can within a hair's breadth of quitting the nursing program less than half way through that semester (3d semester of a 4 semester program). Up to that point, I had loved what I was learning, and was carrying a 4.0 in nursing school. I was so close to quitting that I went to the Dean of the undergrad program and told her I was thinking about leaving nursing. My instructor in OB did not believe that men belonged in nursing, and did everything she could to make it as difficult on men as she possibly could. In the first session of a class after mine, when she saw all women in class, she made the comment that "this is what nurses are supposed to be."
I hated OB so much that when I started my CRNA program, I dreaded my OB rotations. I can't remember for sure, but I think I even went to the CRNA program director, Tony Chipas, to discuss my worries over going back to OB. Fortunately for me, I had several great instructors there, and found I really enjoyed doing OB anesthesia. Enough so that when I looked to leave Wichita, and find a new job, I wanted to find one that would let me do some OB. So, I guess it all balanced out.
Kevin McHugh

Speaking generally. I was not there.

It is about empathy and good nursing practice.

Somebody often has to repair the damage caused by having male nurses doing controversial things and it tends to resonate. Many female patients complain afterwards (to female nurses) about having male staff imposed upon them. Most nurses know that female patients do not like male nurses.

Expectant mothers certainly top the list. The adverse criteria are so pervasive a general prohibtion is probably the best solution. Any male nurse who can't appreciate that there are likely to be many problems should possibly think of doing something else.

Expectant mothers should in ideal circumstances express the wish (without being asked by the hospital) and if they do not express that wish it should be viewed as a no. Most expectant mothers it can be assumed do not feel comfortable with male nurses.

Male nursing often has adverse consequences and it is only natural that this generates the type of feelings you refer to. I am not supposing that in your case that was the reason, however it often is.

Again this is not a secret - male nurses can hear their female colleagues whispering about same sex birthing etc. Many of those quietened conversations are about real medical problems and issues caused by stress factors that could have been avoided.

Many female nurses fel under pressure not to report adverse events and issues because they do not want to hammer some poor fellow who made the mistake ofr being in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Any male nurse who *expects* expectant mothers to welcome him in all and any circumstances should not be in the profession.

If he is that unfeeling he should be in the Marines, fighting in Iraq or driving a big dozer truck demolishing buildings etc. If a male nurse has zero empathy for females patients he should not be near them.