Is this your "calling"?

Specialties Ob/Gyn

Published

Hi all!

As a nursing student, I was wondering how many of you feel that OB nursing is your "calling"? Are there any other areas of nursing you are/were interested in? And what makes this nursing specialty so appealing to you?

-swiftee

yes it does take a while, even I have my moments when I wonder why I do this. but when I stop and think about everything there is nothing i would rather do. this is so much more than ajob to me it is my calling for sure. I now know why GOD saved me from several horrible accidents. because this is where i belong:)

there are some bad nights like one last week I had 2 in labor and 3 in observation I was running from room to room trying to check and keep up with them all till help arrived. after it was all over I caught my breath and smiled at all the miracles that were around me that night:)

Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.

I hope G-d keeps saving you from tragedy, Mark. Cause when He does not for some reason, it is devastating. I just watched it wrack two coworkers.....the legal nightmare....the depositions...questions....trial.....one of which has quit nursing and gone back for her MBA to be an accountant. NOT to EVEN mention what it did to the poor families involved. I hope your good fortune and luck continue the duration of your career. This is what I mean, you cannot be too well-prepared or flip when it comes to OB nursing and I hate to see it when people think they can go straight from BSN to Midwifery w/a brief 1 year stop in labor/delivery to get their knowledge base. It just does not work that way, it in this litigious climate.:o

I found OB love thru a great instructor-thanks Glenda! --and a 99 % on the NLN exam which impressed us all!! Then I started in L&D as the first new grad they had accepted in 30 years and it was love!! After almost 16 yrs, I can't imagine working in any other specialty although I too have thought about a total change of pace and my alternative career is with Walmart--but I would owe THEM by payday!!!!! I think we all have those feelings of just chucking it all and doing a job with little or no responsibility--that is normal in such a stressful career. It may even be healthy for us to do that from time to time if our health is at risk. It would be ok, really. It might make someone a better nurse to take a break and do something else.

I thought about this question for a long time before replying. Is this my calling? I guess it is, and thank God for days like yesterday when I had a normal routine term delivery (!!!!!) of a 16-year-old girl and my mothering and patience came in handy. I love when the off-going shift says "This one's a real treat-a big whiny baby" and then I have a delightful experience by being able to change the whole atmosphere of the room and calm the mom down. That's why I do this.

And then there are days that I think, how much more can I push myself? We very seldom are told that we do a good job, very seldom patted on the back. Many times the only feedback we get from our (admittedly stressed and overworked) director is what we're not doing right, or not doing enough of, or what our new task is. It's also frustrating to have to do charge 2 days out of the 3 that I work, because it's very hard to have laboring patients and do charge at the same time.

But even with all that, often enough I have a really good delivery, or we get a good save on someone who is at high risk of a disaster, and I remember why I'm here. I just love it, and guess I'll always be here until my feet give out!!!

It's funny..I hated L&D in nursing school..back in the dark ages (1975). I worked nursery for years and truly loved it. I changed hospitals and worked ortho and surgical for a year and a half for a change of pace (military hospital, so only active duty ortho patients..young and healthy, no broken hips!) Then I decided o go back to nursery but it seemed you couldn't get there from ortho. I decided to apply for nursery or L&D figuring that way (if I got STUCK in L&D), I'd at least know when the openings were in nursery. I got L&D almost immediately. That was in 1990! I fell in LOVE with L&D and would not want to be anywhere else. Now I'm in the tertiary L&D for southeastern NC. We are a teaching hospital with OB residents from UNC doing high risk L&D (app 300 del/month) and absolutely loving it. It definitely IS my calling.I would no longer even consider working anywhere else! :nurse:

Well, I have just finished week one of my orientation in L&D. The atmosphere there is what I have been looking for since I became a nurse . The staff is sooo supportive. I feel like what I am doing counts for something. At my previous job,I felt like a warm body. I was present for some awe inspiring events this week. I can't wait to go back to work on monday! I have never said that before now. Yep, I think this is where I belong.

- Noelle

I never wanted to do nursing. Growing up my mom, who was a nurse, tried to interest me in the profession as did my 2 sister-in-laws later who are also nurses. I resisted greatly. Went to school and got my Bachelor's in Bus. Adm/Management but couldn't find a job after graduation. Went to work in a local hospital as a ward clerk and slowly an interest took place. When i decided to go to nursing school, but couldn't yet afford it, I knew the one thing I wanted to do was OB. I didn't go into it right away, did Med/Surg first and was glad I got that intial knowledge base. Have now worked OB since 1995 and the only way you can get me to leave is kicking and screaming. I love the whole idea and miracle of the birth of a baby and being allowed to be a small part in such a happy time in these families lives.

Specializes in Perinatal/neonatal.

A wise nurse today shared with me this...."when you are no longer nervous and you know everything, it is time to find another occupation". I believe she's right! (I asked her when the nervous feeling goes away as she was about to perform a procedure on a 1 day old infant and I WAS NERVOUS JUST OBSERVING!!!:D )

~Angie:roll

Specializes in Perinatal/neonatal.

A wise nurse today shared with me this...."when you are no longer nervous and you know everything, it is time to find another occupation". I believe she's right! (I asked her when the nervous feeling goes away as she was about to perform a procedure on a 1 day old infant and I WAS NERVOUS JUST OBSERVING!!!:D )

~Angie:roll

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