New OB Nurses, Grads and Students, Please Feel Free to post your questions here:

Specialties Ob/Gyn

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Mugwump had a great idea offering services to new grads as a mentor (thank you for that!)

So, I thought having a "sticky" for new grads, OB nurses, students, and others with questions who want to post these can do so here. We also seem to see many of the same questions over and over, so perhaps this would help serve as an ongoing discussion of common issues/questions we all seem to have on our minds. This could serve not just for those asking directly, but others who may be "lurking" and looking for information or considering a career in OB, newborn, GYN nursing, or midwifery, doula services, childbirth education, lactation consulting, or other related work.

So if any mod thinks this is a good idea, mind stickying this?

Let's give this a go and see how it works out. We have many potential "mentors" here among us who, I am sure, would LOVE to help a new nurse/midwife/doula or student on his or her way to a rewarding career. I know I would love to help out!

Hi everyone. I am starting my senior practicum in Labor and Delivery. I need to write a learning plan for myself. I need suggestions of realistic goals I can accomplish in the next six weeks. My goal is to be a L&D nurse after graduation. Thanks.

Thanks for the advice. I really do apreciate it. I guess the idea of having 6/7 couplets to take care of in mother/baby just seems overwhelming. They all offer fellowships in the different specialty areas which is a good thing.

Hope its okay if I jump in. I am starting on PP a couple days after graduation as a GN. One thing I looked for was a nice preceptorship and I will have three months before I am on my own. Also, we only have 4 couplets--I can't believe someone would give a nurse 6/7!

Anyway, I will start in PP to get my feet wet in nursing and cross train later into L&D.

Here is my perspective as a staff nurse:

For the love of anything right, please, do not just "jump in and be that laboring patient's nurse without working with her primary nurse first!!!!!! As labor nurses, we don't expect students to "take over" and do much of anything but observe, esp. at first. We are glad you are there---we remember what it was like to be students, believe me. But we also have a way of doing things that works, and would appreciate it not being too terribly disrupted by overly-enthusiastic nursing students. (I have met a few)

Good advice.. I cant stand those students. I start my LDRP clinical rotation next week

I've been an ER nurse for 3 years and now have switched to MB, newborn nursery, and float to L&D. Any suggestions/tips?

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

Well you will have a lot to bring w/your experience.....we will be glad to have you.

Just like anyplace else, make your orientation work for you and be sure to ask questions as they come up....then just DIVE IN. Hands on is the way to learn in Mother/Baby just a like anyplace else.

Also may I suggest you get some classes on breastfeeding issues ASAP. A lot of your time will be spent helping new moms to breastfeed and as natural and healthy as this choice is, it does NOT come easily for probably 50% of the new moms I encounter. You need to learn how to help moms and babies overcome various BF issues to success, make sure you have the right training and attitude.

GOOD LUCK.

Thanks for the advice and encouragement! As with BF, I have and BF 3 beautiful children, so hopefully I'll be able to use my experiences (good & bad) to help.

This is where I've always wanted to work, even before I started nursing school. My mother was a L&D nurse for 20 years. I'm just now "getting my foot in the door" at the hospital where I work. I am so burned out after working in the ER, and for once in the past year I am actually excited about going to work!!:roll

Hi everyone....this is actually my first post to allnurses.com. I have kind of an unusual background. I was a 'lay' midwife, then became a Certified Professional Midwife through NARM www.narm.org , then because of legal/political issues with direct entry midwives in my state (IL) I made the choice to become an RN. I went through Excelsior College for my ASN. It was tough to go through the clinical performance exam, but the rest of it was a piece of cake. IL does not accept this college so I got my licensure in a neighboring state. Started working right away on my BSN...finished in 12 months (an online program). Moved up to the IL/IA border, and started nurse midwifery school through SUNY Stony Brook www.usb.edu

Graduated after 4 semesters (fall, spring, summer, fall) and passed the ACNM cert exam. Then decided to try being an L and D nurse, got a job in a very low volume Level one hospital that was getting ready to open a beautiful new campus. We have LDRP care...I have been there 3 and 1/2 years. Recently cut back to part time there and started teaching OB nursing clinicals for one of the local ASN programs. I love it. Also recently started accepting home birth clients again. All along I have been occasionally assisting another CNM with her home birth practice, as an RN birth assistant. Am happy to have found this forum and enjoyed reading all the posts on this thread. I definitely could relate to lots of them.

Hope to be hanging around for a good while, this is a very interesting site!

Kim RN CNM

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

Kim, the experience you bring to your practice is invaluable. I am so glad you joined us and welcome aboard! Looking forward to hearing and learning more from you.

Specializes in L&D/Mother-Baby.

Hello All,

I am 6 months away from finishing my AD in Nursing and I am ecstatic beyond words. :biggringi

Sadly, I have not gone through this entire forum, so forgive me if this has already been asked. I would appreciate being pointed in the right direction and I will be on my merry way. I will eventually sit down and go through all the wonderful questions and comments that have been posted here.

What I would like to know, as a future OB Nurse/Midwife, is which hospitals in New York City accept newly graduated nurses directly into L&D? I know that Bellevue Hospital does, but I am not sure where else they would take a GN. Any kind advice is greatly appreciated.

Best regards,

Melody ;)

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

The only way you can know is to call around and ask their HR or OB departments. Also look for hospitals that have "OB residency" programs---specially designed for new graduates to ease their transition to their specialty. This is a good place to start.

GOOD LUCK TO YOU and congrats on your upcoming graduation.

Specializes in OB, lactation.
Hi everyone. I am starting my senior practicum in Labor and Delivery. I need to write a learning plan for myself. I need suggestions of realistic goals I can accomplish in the next six weeks. My goal is to be a L&D nurse after graduation. Thanks.

*bump*

I have this same exact question... does anyone have any thoughts?

I'm thinking about becoming an OB nurse when I finish nursing school I just started nursing school this past January. I have a lot to look forward to and I can't wait until this is all over with.

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