OB Clinicals

Ari RN, BSN, RN · Feb 22, 2005

Personally I felt out of place! I must admit it was the most exciting rotation ever. It was the first time I saw an actual birth. WOW!!!!!!! Of course you have some moms that don't want the "male" nurses around. A lot of them confuse us with docs, but eventually they give in. Then you have the moms who just love all the male presence. (????) I had lot's of fun! But like I said before I felt out of place. Would I ever go into Mat/OB???? No! Just my two cents! Tooooo much estrogen for me! I have enough of that at home!

Nurseboy1 · Feb 22, 2005

I really enjoyed my OB clinicals. I saw three births and a c-section, and I mean that the nurse in the room said here hold a leg so you can see. I liked taking care of the mothers postpartum, and I really enjoyed my rotation in the newborn nursery. I never had a problem with any of the patients, no one ever refused to allow me in the room. I was overall a great experience.

I don't want to work OB full time, I really enjoy complex medical patients instead.

mwbeah · Feb 22, 2005

Before I became a CRNA, I was a Labor and Delivery Nurse in NYC for 4 years and absolutely enjoyed it.

Mike

Tweety, BSN, RN · Feb 22, 2005

I dreaded it for months and hated every minute of it, except the point where the patient actually gave birth. Probably will be the only birth I'll ever see. I think part of the reason I didn't enjoy it because I had no interest in it, and knew I'd never work there. It's just something we all have to do though.

bcjams · Feb 22, 2005

You do it cuz you have too....nuf said.

But the newborn nursery was a blast..loved it.

MHN · Feb 22, 2005

I would like to know about your experience in OB/Maternal Nursing clinical rotations.

Carolynd ,In the eaerly 70's I had limited experience in my general nurse training in gyny wards because i was a nurse who happened to be a male,however by the time I had finished the veils had been lifted i trained and a pupil midwife and completed the training and have been a licensed Midwife for about 30 yrs now. there are always some Ladies who prefer female doctors and nurses and there are probably more who are not bothered by the gender issue as long as you are competent to do the care required and have some practicale experience you can pass on to them and there husbands.

Gwailo · Feb 22, 2005

I felt a little out of place especially as a 2nd year student I was all fingers and thumbs. I couldn't have expressed a whole lot of confidence at that time. I had one or two moms who requested a female RN after I asked them if they prefered one, but a good experience over all. I'm Just about to graduate in June after 4 years and I think if I did the experience again it would be very different.

framps · Feb 22, 2005

As a Father-to-be, I was very excited about my OB rotation. I found that the patients were generally very accepting. I did have one patient say that she would prefer to have a female nurse, but that didn't bother me at all.

The behavior of the nurses I shadowed did bother me a bit. I was typically asked to wait outside the room, while the nurse would enter and ask "I have a male nursing student with me today, is it okay if he comes in?" Not exactly a welcoming experience. Also, there were no male nurses on the entire floor of the hospital. No male staff restroom or locker room.

I was able to witness two c-sections and one all natural lady partsl delivery - awesome. It was all I could do to choke back the tears. During one of the cesareans, I was able to lend a helping hand. The woman was obese and had to hold herself in a very odd position (impossible for her to do) in order to place the epidural. The CRNA and anesthesiologist made repeated failed attempts and asked me to hug the patient's knees to her shoulders. The patient was very anxious and so I hugged her and encouraged her, the whole time watching needle after needle come out bent after hitting her vertebrae. Eventually, they succeeded. Everyone thanked me profusely for my assistance. Afterwards, the nurse asked me if I had ever considered a career in L&D. She said, "We could sure use someone like you here. We have a lot of heavy patients to lift."

Overall, the experience was extremely positive and I am very thankful for all of it. My wife had concieved twins, and during my OB rotation we lost one of the babies. I had the opportunity to hold newborn twins and the experience helped me grieve for the loss of one of my unborn children. It was an emotional time for me and without this experience I doubt that I would have fully realized the significance of it all.

Framps

Superfryy · Feb 22, 2005

I was really nervous and not looking forward to my OB rotation and would have done anything to have gotten out of it. However, I found the nurses and patients very receptive to me and I cannot believe all that I learned during it. I got to see two births, one lady partsl and one C-Section and it was absolutely incredible. I wasn't sure how the patients would react to me, but not one of them had a problem with me taking care of them. It was one of the most enjoyable clinical rotations that I have had so far.

Cerebrum · Feb 22, 2005

Just finished by OB clinical rotation last Friday and it was a great experience. Learning to interpret the fetal heart rate and uterine contractions, watching and assisting during a lady partsl delivery, watching a caserean section, OB drugs, comfort measures and performing maternal and infant assessments was really interesting. Assisting the doc with a circumcision, giving infants their first shots, performing the Ballard testing, giving infants their first "bath" was a great pediatric experience as well. Overall I was an unforgettable experience and would do it again (as a career choice).

MrRacer98 · Feb 22, 2005

Hey All-

OB. I enjoyed most of the information I learned. However, I was a bit nervous; more than anything I felt out of place. I did like the fast paced intensity when things hit the fan with labor. Overall very glad to learn what I did, for my own wife and (eventually children) I still felt out of place. When I say out of place, I don't mean nervous all the time, but just... it wasn't for me. It never helps when you get "guff" about it all the time... lol :chuckle

Jer