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?
At my nursing school we dont do a L&D placement as such. We have a large (over 60pages) assignment to complete where we find a woman in the community (through friends/family) who is happy for us to follow her through her pregnancy, birth and postpartum period in the role of a support person. Its not ideal and i still wish i had done a 'real' placement but it did give me some insight into the experience.
Perhaps you would be able to find a friend or family member who is pregnant who would be happy to have you present at midwiffery appointments and the birth. Most people in my class had no trouble finding a pregnant woman who was happy to share the experience with them.
I enjoyed building a relationship with my mother, we got on really well and she shared with me alot of the psychological side of pregnancy and birth (her fears, expectations, excitement, frustrations) that i may not have experienced if i had been on a L&D rotation. Overall experience was very positive, i visited the baby the other day (now 2months old) and am still keeping in touch with the family.
Rach101
53 Posts
Hey.
At my nursing school we dont do a L&D placement as such. We have a large (over 60pages) assignment to complete where we find a woman in the community (through friends/family) who is happy for us to follow her through her pregnancy, birth and postpartum period in the role of a support person. Its not ideal and i still wish i had done a 'real' placement but it did give me some insight into the experience.
Perhaps you would be able to find a friend or family member who is pregnant who would be happy to have you present at midwiffery appointments and the birth. Most people in my class had no trouble finding a pregnant woman who was happy to share the experience with them.
I enjoyed building a relationship with my mother, we got on really well and she shared with me alot of the psychological side of pregnancy and birth (her fears, expectations, excitement, frustrations) that i may not have experienced if i had been on a L&D rotation. Overall experience was very positive, i visited the baby the other day (now 2months old) and am still keeping in touch with the family.