Hi all, I just found out that we won't be doing a maternity/ob rotation at all during our 4 semesters of clinicals. I'm pretty disappointed about this, as I ultimately feel L&D is where I would like to end up.
But more practically, I am worried that missing this exposure during school will hinder my being hired in L&D after graduation. Its already competitive enough as it is.
Do you think that this is a real possibility? I'm planning on trying to get a position (cna/tech/extern) in OB or related unit at some point during school, but still I worry that this will hurt my chances in the long run...
---on a side note, we were told that we would see some ob patients during our med/surg rotations, but I don't see how this is possible...is it?
Oh I didn't realize the question would cause a big stir...My school (Comm. college of philadelphia) is definitely accredited and reputable, w/ decent NCLEX scores (high 80's). It is reassuring that it is possible to see ob on a Med/surg rotation. I know we'll get to see peds pts too during our community health rotation, and we'll cover all topics in lectures and such.
Our clinicals are set like this
Semester 1 and 2 - Med/Surg
Semester 3 - 7 weeks m/s 7 weeks LTC
Semester 4 - 7weeks m/s and 7 weeks community
Yes, the reasons we were given are for lack of clinical opportunities, but I think liability is an issue too. Also, there are a tonof nursing programs in the Philadelphia area (several each of BSN, ADN and diploma) so I think things get tight with scheduling and hospitals probably ensure that their own students get first shot at limited L&D units available.
Eh, I will just have to deal, I am really disappointed though since I'm sure I won't get to see a labor or birth
ETA: I think someone else mentioned about IV-starts originally- I think we probably will get to do that, I can't imagine how anyone could be a nurse without having done something like that...
In regard to IV starts, we were told that we'd be trained on the job. As if there isn't a zillion other things for a new grad to learn at their first job! I
I am sorry that you won't have the opportunity to care for patients on an OB or peds unit during your nursing education. I think you are being cheated out of an important set of learning experiences, and am puzzled as to the reason, given the HUGE number of hospitals in the immediate area with OB and pediatric services. I don't know of another area of the country with so many pediatric specialty hospitals! However, having lived and worked in the Philly suburbs, I am familiar with your program and it's good reputation. I second the suggestion that you try to arrange your senior "internship" on an OB or peds unit in order to make yourself more marketable as a new grad. While I understand that you may see OB patients on med/surg, caring for a pregnant mom with a medical or surgical condition is just not the same as participating in the birth and bonding experience of a new family. You may also consider a nurse tech position in one of these areas while you finish school. Good luck!
OP-You're in Philly-there are PLENTY of clinical sites that you could share with all the other schools for an OB and Peds clinical. Even if you did the bulk of the work at a free/public clinic that does OB, that's better than nothing. I'd be pitching a fit if I were you, because IMO, you are entitled to that experience.
Also, in Philadelphia, if you're working at a large (or teaching) university, there's a good chance they'll have an antepartum unit (a unit specifically for high risk pregnancies) and won't have much, if any, pregnant women on M/S. On my ante unit, we take EVERY pregnant woman--unless she's on a vent, which we had a few times, and even then, an OB nurse was floated to the m/s or ICU to do the monitoring. And I mean every pregnant woman-even if ER does a random pre-Xray preg. test--if it comes pos, they get sent up here, even if her period isn't even late!
OT, but my school (BSN) didn't teach IV starts either. We did the IV tubing, rates (gtts per min, etc), pumps, spiking, etc, but not starts. We were also told we'd learn during job orientation. Thankfully I was a MA before and had lots of experience with phlebotomy. But it was the same in the other colleges in my region, so that doesn't raise any red flags for me.
Okay, well maybe I just went to a really good school. I can tell you that my faculty had a heart attack when they found out the class two years before mine had a pass rate in the upper 80's on the NCLEX. They went into overdrive making changes and improving the program to get our pass rate into the very high 90's.
I find it rather disconcerting that they can find the room for a LTC rotation but not for OB or peds. You are definitely being shortchanged in your education and there is no excuse for it. Look into the nurse practice act of your state and see if there is a section on the requirements for nrsg programs. Our's states the subject areas that must be addressed for the school to be approved. Even if this info is not available, there is nothing to stop you from writing a letter to your state board and complaining. LTC is more of an area conducive to OJT than either OB or peds. I agree with the other poster who said that there are plenty of opportunities in the area. Your school's administration is not trying hard enough. Perhaps there were
"issues" in the past, and the program was barred from an institution. No matter, you aren't getting your tuition dollar's worth and should complain. Too bad this info was not available to you before you chose your program. Good luck.
Okay, well maybe I just went to a really good school. I can tell you that my faculty had a heart attack when they found out the class two years before mine had a pass rate in the upper 80's on the NCLEX. They went into overdrive making changes and improving the program to get our pass rate into the very high 90's.
Different strokes, perhaps...
BSNinTx, I see your point. I think high 80's is decent..not great but still decent. Actually, I looked it up 2006 was 81% and 2005 was 88%, which was actually better than UPenn's 2005 rate. Just a glance at the pattern over 3 years for all PA schools makes me think that NCLEX scores are so cyclical that its hard to use any one year as a judge of a school.
I don't know about making a fuss, I'm comfortable with my schools reputation, just disappointed in this news. Even though there are a lot of hospitals in the area, there are so many nursing programs as well. Off the top of my head I can think of:
That stinks that you won't get any ob/l&d/peds time, (and no psych either, but I would have been happy about that one myself;)). Lots of Med/surg it looks like, which I think will be very helpful whereever you wind up working. I wish I had more med/surg time, I somehow wound up with 2 psych rotations and 2 LTC, which was just kinda overkill for both! We also didn't learn IV starts or phlebotomy as a required part of the program, there was an elective option to take a IV/phlebotomy skills class, but we couldn't practice during clinicals. No big deal, plenty of time to learn and practice during orientation!
If you have an opportunity to do a preceptorship or externship in ob/L&d/peds, I would take it!
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Sarah LnDHopes
92 Posts
Oh I didn't realize the question would cause a big stir...My school (Comm. college of philadelphia) is definitely accredited and reputable, w/ decent NCLEX scores (high 80's). It is reassuring that it is possible to see ob on a Med/surg rotation. I know we'll get to see peds pts too during our community health rotation, and we'll cover all topics in lectures and such.
Our clinicals are set like this
Semester 1 and 2 - Med/Surg
Semester 3 - 7 weeks m/s 7 weeks LTC
Semester 4 - 7weeks m/s and 7 weeks community
Yes, the reasons we were given are for lack of clinical opportunities, but I think liability is an issue too. Also, there are a ton of nursing programs in the Philadelphia area (several each of BSN, ADN and diploma) so I think things get tight with scheduling and hospitals probably ensure that their own students get first shot at limited L&D units available.
Eh, I will just have to deal, I am really disappointed though since I'm sure I won't get to see a labor or birth
ETA: I think someone else mentioned about IV-starts originally- I think we probably will get to do that, I can't imagine how anyone could be a nurse without having done something like that...