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

Specialties Ob/Gyn

Published

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!

Ya, come to California or as Arnold would say Kali-fornia. We need you like mad and are short some 10000+ RN's and Lacatation Consultants are needed in our big hosp such as Stanford, Lucile Packard, Good Sam, etc... We pay top wages to nurses in CA at $60+ hr or $75k or so and higher. Depending what and when it would be +/- . We don't have a 4th season of the year, meaning no real cold weather. Big draw back is the huge cost of living, but don't let it scare you, being an RN is a good job to have and will be ok to start. Rent is about $1000 - $2000 depending on size. We are very diverse, with many mixes of nationalities. Most people are higher educated as this is the high tech sector know as Silicon Valley. You can further your education at our top Universities like Stanford, UC Berkley, Golden Gate University etc...

Why don't you come and look for yourself, get a feel, take a quick vacation and see if this is for you. We are 1 - 5 hours drive time from places like Big Basin, 17 Mile Drive, San Francisco, Yosemite. We have major airports like San Francisco, San Jose and Oakland which take you anywhere in the world. Hawaii is only 5 hours fly time.

Daniel:welcome:

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Specializes in Community, OB, Nursery.
what do all of the mother/baby nurses out there think of a rn with 11 years med/surg/tele experience coming to mother baby unit?

I work with a bunch of former med/surg & tele nurses and I think they make wonderful m/b nurses. They tend to be very calm when the poo hits the fan (which it occasionally does). I say, go for it if you want it.

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OK guys, I need your help and expertise!...I need to know how to do an abd prep for a csection. I have looked online and on this site for hours. I really do not want to go and buy an OR book for this procedure. My preceptors have showed me different ways each time. When I get into the room....I panic!!!! I need to see a video or picture of the correct sequence to follow. Please help...I need to sleep at night:)

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Specializes in Community, OB, Nursery.
OK guys, I need your help and expertise!...I need to know how to do an abd prep for a csection. I have looked online and on this site for hours. I really do not want to go and buy an OR book for this procedure. My preceptors have showed me different ways each time. When I get into the room....I panic!!!! I need to see a video or picture of the correct sequence to follow. Please help...I need to sleep at night:)

Does your facility have a policy on it, or is there a set of orders that pretty much spells it out? If so, I'd use that. Even so, with time, you will develop your own manner of doing it within the guidelines. Hang in there.

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Thanks for the reply. The policy just states that you follow the guidelines for a sterile prep....Did I miss this is nursing school? The only OR training I had was a day of observation, standing behind the CRNA. I am trying to hang in there, but some days I go home feeling very incompetant. I have been a med/surg nurse for 11 yrs, and am new to L&D. I didn't expect to feel so intimidated and inadequate. I just keep trying to tell myself that it will get better with time, but I go in to work each day with so much anxiety...it is hard some time. :o

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Specializes in Community, OB, Nursery.
Thanks for the reply. The policy just states that you follow the guidelines for a sterile prep....Did I miss this is nursing school? The only OR training I had was a day of observation, standing behind the CRNA. I am trying to hang in there, but some days I go home feeling very incompetant. I have been a med/surg nurse for 11 yrs, and am new to L&D. I didn't expect to feel so intimidated and inadequate. I just keep trying to tell myself that it will get better with time, but I go in to work each day with so much anxiety...it is hard some time. :o

Ok, this might come out sounding like a smart-aleck & that's not my intent at all. Is there some policy for sterile prep?? If so, that's what I would go with. If not, there should be one! Are there any pre-op orders that state what you'd do? We have a list of standing c/s prep orders that we use.

It will get better with time. L&D is a highly specialized area and it's kind of a universe unto itself. Make sure you are always with someone who's got some experience with you for when the poo hits the fan. And give yourself some credit for what you know....you have 11 years of experience in nursing. That's a long time, and you know a lot. I don't know anyone who works L/D that didn't start out with a crapload of anxiety. Hang in there!!!

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Thanks for the reply. The policy just states that you follow the guidelines for a sterile prep....Did I miss this is nursing school? The only OR training I had was a day of observation, standing behind the CRNA. I am trying to hang in there, but some days I go home feeling very incompetant. I have been a med/surg nurse for 11 yrs, and am new to L&D. I didn't expect to feel so intimidated and inadequate. I just keep trying to tell myself that it will get better with time, but I go in to work each day with so much anxiety...it is hard some time. :o

You probably didn't miss it in nursing school, although when I teach, I try to have my students do the prep (in scheduled or non-emergent c/s) because I think it is great experience for them to have. Do you have a educator on your unit that you can ask? Our educator is very proactive about teaching OR skills to her staff. And an educator might be able to help make a more specific policy for other newbies on your unit.

Becki

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Specializes in GYN Med/Surg.

:roll Hi everyone! I am graduating (RN) on May 6 and I have an interview with the hospital here on Wednesday....I am trying to impress these people;) , as L&D is a VERY POPULAR floor and it has always been my dream! Can anyone give me any tips? I can't imagine an interview lasting 1 1/2 hours!! YIKES! I have no clue what the heck they are going to ask me. ALL ideas are greatly appreciated!! :nurse: Thanks in advance, Monica

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Specializes in Home health Care, Palative,obgyn.
FABULOUS idea. I second the motion for stickying this- it's always good to get advice from the 'been there/done that' crowd. I ask TONS of questions at work, but ideas/info from RNs outside my little corner of the universe would be helpful.

I have been a nurse for 4yrs. but have just started on the OBGYN floor and feel like I am expected to know what to do. I think having a mentor to be able to talk to outside of work is a great idea. I do have a preceptor at work very nice lady but short on pactience but has lots of experience. So if anyone is offering to mentor me or listen to my questions online I would be very much appreciated. I have waited a long time to get on this floor and want to succeed.:thankya: Tina.

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Does anyone have a worksheet that they use that would be helpful.

Thanks

Shannon

[email protected]

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Specializes in L & D and Mother-Baby.

Maxybehr,

I'm assuming you mean a report sheet. There are several good ones, the best being a grid type format with headings with all the info. like G,P, GBS status, blood type, allergies etc. etc. I have tried using other peoples formats and found that just making up my own works best.

Good luck!

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Hi,

I'm a student nurse with 2 semesters to go Hurray!!! I received an externship for the summer in L&D and I'm thrilled because I love it! My question is to all of you..........I keep hearing that I should not go right into L&D after graduation because I need to build my med/surg skills and get a foundation before I specialize. I'd just like some feedback from all of you. Did any of you start in L&D right after graduation? Did you stay there? This has been my favorite rotation by far and I've always wanted to work in this area, but it's deflating to hear these comments because I thought I'd go right into this area after graduation if the opportunity presented itself. This is the main reason I applied for the externship, to gain as much experience as possible before graduation. Anyways, any insight is greatly appreciated. I can't wait to be where all of you are, I'm loving nursing school, even though it's difficult, it's bittersweet!

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