new RN starting as new L &D nurse, any advice?

L&Dnurse13 · Jun 22, 2009

i also started l&d as a new rn. :yeah:my advise is do not be too hard on yourself. i was told it would take 2 years to feel confident in what you are doing and they were right. things can change in seconds. always be prepared for the worst while hoping for the best. take advantage of any classes offered. my preceptor encouraged me to watch how other rn's did their deliveries. see if your preceptor will do this also. you can learn a few tricks this way and find your best style. now when i train nurses for l&d i have them go with other nurses for procedures and in triage if they are able. we also take all of the complicated, c-section, or advanced labor pts even if it is not our turn. all in all just enjoy what you do. and give yourself time to learn it all.

oguesswhat · Jun 25, 2009

Oh you are both lucky I just graduated and I want to work in L&D but no one wants to hire me :-/ I may have to wait a while before I can get into it!

nkara, CNA · Jun 25, 2009

I'm jealous! I would love to be in L&D once I graduate... where did u get hired?

and I'm sure it will all just seem like second nature after awhile. YOu might surprise yourself one day and be like.. "oh it's no big deal"..... congrats!

LadyRN32 · Jul 12, 2009

I am in the same boat as you. I also just graduated in May and passed my boards July 8th. I am scheduled to start in Maternity July 27th. I am nervous, scared, and excited all at the same time. Any advice would be greatly appreciated. For those L&D nurses: Are you glad you made that decision and what is your advice for us newbies? :heartbeat:idea:

long26 · Jul 12, 2009

I have been working OB for 24 years and now teach it as well. I still love it... sharing a delivery with a family or successfully getting that baby to the breast or just offering support to the new, scared parents...sharing it with students as well is great because I get to see it all new again. As a new nurse, watch the more experienced nurses (find the good ones!), don't be afraid to look things up through the day or at home after your shift. Policies and procedure books can be a great resource...after several times of reviewing them, you will know them all by heart. Take advantage of any continuing education. When I was new to OB, I also asked my patients who were experienced moms, what I should share with the first-timers...patients were glad to share all the "wish I knew then" things.

Good luck...OB is a great area to work...challenging and rewarding!