Mistake to leave L&D before getting OR trained?

Specialties Ob/Gyn

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Specializes in L&D.

Where I work we're trained to do lady partsl deliveries, triage, baby nurse and recovery room when we're first hired, but they put off OR training until later. (Is this common?)

Because of staffing, they've been WAY behind in training people. I'm almost at my 2 year mark and I'm STILL not trained.

I've tried to ask management when I'll be trained but they just say they don't know which is frustrating. It could be in 2 months or not for another year or more.

Also they are apparently not training nurses to scrub anymore, only circulate. So that also feels a little like we're getting short-changed in our training.

I always told myself I'd stay at this job until I had OR under my belt, but now it's taking so long and I'm getting impatient.

I'm considering applying for a job in a pediatrician's office, which is something I always wanted to do.

My husband and I also want to have a baby in the next year, so it's possible I'd leave my full time L&D job before getting OR trained for that reason.

Will it look bad if in the future I apply for L&D jobs at different hospitals and say that I have 2 years L&D experience, but no OR training?

Will this rule me out for any L&D per diem or travel positions?

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Specializes in OB-Gyn/Primary Care/Ambulatory Leadership.

Where I worked for the first 4 years of my L&D career, the OB nurses didn't do anything in the OR except assist the ped with the baby. They had an OR team that would come in for C/S, including circulator.

I still went on to travel, and the companies who hired me knew I had no circulating experience. It truly is not that difficult to learn. 3-4 cases and you'll have it down. So I don't think it's a huge deal if you haven't been trained to circulate yet.

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Always blows my mind to see someone say "iIt truly is not that difficult to learn. 3-4 cases and you'll have it down".... it sure is more to it than learning to "just circulate"....do you know what to do if you need to do a hysterectomy or other emergency with the section?

But, I think you have already answered your own question. If you are thinking of leaving why bother with the OR training?

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Specializes in OB-Gyn/Primary Care/Ambulatory Leadership.
Always blows my mind to see someone say "iIt truly is not that difficult to learn. 3-4 cases and you'll have it down".... it sure is more to it than learning to "just circulate"....do you know what to do if you need to do a hysterectomy or other emergency with the section?

An L&D nurse is not expected to be an expert at circulating in the OR. They are expected to know the basics of what to do - the order of what to do things (lie her down after spinal, get heart tones, put in the foley, strap her down, do the abdominal prep, slap on the bovey) and then be familiar with what charting needs to be done, and have a working familiarity of where to find things like 3-0 Vicryl or another boat of Raytecs.

Things that happen in an emergency don't happen often enough that you're going to be an expert on what to do when it does happen anyway. Most places are not going to expect you to be the expert on what to do if you have to do an emergent hyst. They want you to know the basics, and have a basic familiarity of how to circulate a routine procedure. Period. Yes, 3-4 cases and she will have that down.

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Don't have to be an expert to be able to keep it going during an emergency... this is training that should be given to all L&D nurse's who do C/S's... just basic stuff...

What do you do? Wait for the OR back up to come in....by that time it maybe too late... been there and seen that one happen.

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Specializes in OB-Gyn/Primary Care/Ambulatory Leadership.
What do you do? Wait for the OR back up to come in....by that time it maybe too late... been there and seen that one happen.

No, you just deal with the emergency at hand. You know where the basic supplies are, and you deal. An L&D nurse is not expected, nor should she, to be an expert at every possible emergency that could happen in the OR. She's expected to have a working knowledge of how to do routine procedures, and know where to go for help or the basic supplies necessary in case of emergency. It's unrealistic to expect an L&D nurse be an expert at L&D AND circulating AND scrubbing. It's just not realistic or fair.

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Again, don't have to be an "expert" but they should be trained as to what is needed if it goes south.. so, sorry, I disagree with you.

An L&D nurse should know how to circulate, not necessarily scrub but wonderful if they do. They should also know what is needed if it turns into more than a C/S.... what extra's will need to be opened, the extra count, how to get blood, what might anesthesia need..... this should all be standard.

The problem I have run into at the places I have traveled to is most L&D nurse's don't know what is needed if it's get more than the routing C/S.. they expect us to be standing outside the door...really sad.

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Specializes in OB-Gyn/Primary Care/Ambulatory Leadership.
Again, don't have to be an "expert" but they should be trained as to what is needed if it goes south.. so, sorry, I disagree with you.

An L&D nurse should know how to circulate, not necessarily scrub but wonderful if they do. They should also know what is needed if it turns into more than a C/S.... what extra's will need to be opened, the extra count, how to get blood, what might anesthesia need..... this should all be standard..

And those basics can be learned in 3 or 4 cases.

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