Nursing without a net

scoutgirl17 · Aug 31, 1998

Geeze Robin I know how you feel. I've had days where I have had 3 or four OBs walk through the door at the same time. But in my case I was the only RN on the floor who did

labor patients. (Its a very small unit with total of three nurses-one for each area)and RNS dont rotate into the different areas. The other RNS would hide out in the nursery until I would drag em out kicking and screaming and shove them in to monitor and early labor pt.

I think my next job will be in a bigger hospital setting where there are more nurses

trained in dealing with labor and delivery.

Mermaid4 · Sep 9, 2004

Me too...Luckily there is usually someone in early labor amongst the mix, or someone who prefers minimal intervention and has a good background to at least start that way. I find I have some difficulty adjusting to those patients who don't really need or want me around during their utmost private moments...That would be MY issue, however...

BETSRN · Sep 10, 2004

Try to find an LDRP unit. Then everyone is trained in all three areas and you won't have to drag anyone kicking and screaming out of a nursery!

SmilingBluEyes · Sep 10, 2004

so true, Betsy!

is this heaven · Sep 16, 2004

Try to find an LDRP unit. Then everyone is trained in all three areas and you won't have to drag anyone kicking and screaming out of a nursery!

Not everywhere...In my LDRP unit (1100 deliveries per year),new nurses are required to cross train to all areas and circulate in OR for sections.Nurses who've been there for years(10+)don't have to cross train to L&D.Not policy...just the way it is,I guess.

I'm on orientation,and find it very difficult to cross train to all areas.I think LDRP's are great for the pt.,if all who work in the unit are proficient;however it seems to be idealistic to think that new grads can assimilate all this info in 16-20 weeks.

Please enlighten me if my logic is flawed.I'm pretty overwhelmed as a new grad.

Thanks!!

BETSRN · Sep 17, 2004

If all the nurses are NOT cross trained, then you do NOt truly have an LDRP. It sounds to me as if you have a wimpy manager who is not requiring all her staff to meet the same standard. All our staff are completely crosstrained. We all have our favorite areas, of course, but in order to stay in our unit, the prvious manager (who transitioned us to LDRP), all nurses have to be crosstrained. years ago, when we made the transition, anyone who wasn't comfortable doing this had to leave. That's all there was to it. It worked. You will be far better off having crosstrained and so just take it slow and relax. I know that's difficult to do but you will be far better off in the long run. You will be far more marketable than those who are less flexible. 16 weeks is just a beginning. It takes well over a year to become anywhere near comfortable in L&D, not to mention everything else that goes along with working in an LDRP. Don't wever be afraid to ask a lot of questions or say you are not comfortabel with something unfamiliar to you. Good luck. Hopefully, your manager will be proactive and encourage those with more experience to even train in oen other area. You cannopt truly ruun an LDRP unless all the staff are equally versatile. just because a patient can stay in one room for their entire stay does NOt mean that they are in a true LDRP.

Mermaid4 · Sep 17, 2004

I am TOTALLY with BetsRN on this one. And any new grad who gets two months let alone twenty weeks of orientation is LUCKY....

Obviously a new area is stressful and any time even after YEARS you feel comfortable with any aspect of labor and delivery, you shouldn't be there. Take a deep breath and learn as much as you can at your own pace and speak up if you want or need to know something, EVEN if it is scary to do so..Thats how you learn...I learn something new every day...EVEN after twenty three years. It is worth it, believe me....