new BSN in postpartum nights?

Specialties Ob/Gyn

Published

Hello,

I'm graduating in Dec. with a BSN and really loved my clinicals in L&D, high-risk antepartum, newborn nursery, and PP (in that order). I am currently interviewing for a position in PP at nights (that is all that is available for new grads).

I am wondering how experienced RN's feel about a new grad going to PP at night and if u think it will be busy? I'm concerned that it will be quiet at night especially in PP. I was hoping for L&D but they have stated that the only opening is in PP. Any suggestions or thoughts are appreciated.

I'm just trying to weigh the options and decide if it's a great way to get my foot in the door or if it isn't a good idea since I will literally be brand new and in need of experience. A few RN's have suggested going the med/surg way for about 6 months but many say that is no longer necessary especially if I have no intention of ever doing med/surg. I do realize that OB incorporates a lot of med/surg (i.e. a diabetic pt).

Thanks for any advice!

Postpartum is a great place to get comfortable before eventually transitioning to L&D. L&D is critical care and the more PP and NSY experience you have before making that step the better. You need to get comfortable handling mothers and abaies you CAN see before you deal with the baby you CANNOT see yet. Get your NRP certification out of the way during your PP experiences and you'll be that much farther ahead. Good luck.

This is great advice, thanks. I am actually getting my NRP certification next weekend (while I'm still in school). Hopefully it will show that I am truly interested in maternal/infant. Out of 3 interviews so far that I've had, only 1 hospital was willing to consider me (a new grad) for maternal/infant. The others wanted me to go into step down CVOR and areas I wasn't as interested in.

Thanks again :)

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Hello,

After reading your post I learned how important PP can be. I live in Hawaii, am graduating Dec 2004 with BSN. Some of classmates joke about the PP floor being too easy, and you don't learn anything, but I have to admit that the PP rotation was the greatest for me yet. In Hawaii, they have new grad programs in the L&D dept, but I am not sure about the PP dept. If you were a new grad again, would you apply to go straight into L&D, or go to PP to get experience; HONESTLY. Any help would be great.

Mahalo,

UHRN2004:chuckle

Postpartum is a great place to get comfortable before eventually transitioning to L&D. L&D is critical care and the more PP and NSY experience you have before making that step the better. You need to get comfortable handling mothers and abaies you CAN see before you deal with the baby you CANNOT see yet. Get your NRP certification out of the way during your PP experiences and you'll be that much farther ahead. Good luck.
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Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.

PP is ANYTHING but easy. that is IF you are doing your job, of course.

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I did PP before L&D and think it was definitely the best route for me. The experience there was invaluable.

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Thanks so much Smileyblueeyes & Fergus51, I need all the advice I can get. It gets overwhelming to choose which field since there are so many out there for RNs. If you have any more advice, please let me know!!!

Aloha,

UHRN2004

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Specializes in Surgical, Peds, UM.

i graduated with my bsn in 2003 and also wanted to start out in l/d but was also told that they did not hire new grads. so, i accepted a position on a med/surg unit working nights and have worked here for 1 1/2 years. in january, i will be starting a new job at a peds clinic. a few thoughts for you...i'm very glad i have this med/surg experience. there is such a broad variety of patients and experiences that you won't find anywhere else - and will give you confidence on many patient problems you will encounter in l/d...about working nights, lets just say i'm really looking forward to my new job where i'll be working 9am-5pm!!! i can't do three nights in a row (we work 12 1/2 hour shifts) by the third night i'm barely coherent. i usually work 2 on, 1 off, 1 on. i have not ever gotten used to it though - my eating and sleeping schedule is so bizarre, i feel like i don't have a normal life. but other people love it and you may be one of those people! it is quieter - fewer family members and doctors running around. good luck on whatever you embark on - nursing has so many options you will never be bored or run out of places to go:)

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thanks indynurse#2, i hear different things about med/surg, some say it's horrible and they don't remember anything, and others like yourself say it's great experience. i honestly am very confused at this point!! here in hawaii, the majority of jobs available for new grads is the night shift as you have described it, and this is a very difficult shift to get used to. another option i have been looking at is going into public health nursing, the pay is about the same, great hours 8-430pm, state holidays off, benefits galore!! they only hire bsn grads so demand is high. only drawback is the safety part, depending on which neighborhood you are assigned to, and also the paperwork is crazy!! i am working there now as my last rotation before graduating, and love the clients because it's mostly children!! i am confused because there are so many options out there, and i don't want to commit to a job or contract if i am not totally sure of what i want. most of the new grad positions in the hospitals require signing on for minimum of 2 years. i found med/surg clinicals to be frustrating and i never enjoyed going to those clinicals, and know that is not the field i want to pursue, but if it's just to gain experience, that's another story. congratulations on your new job!! i hope to hear from you again, your advice was great, any more advice would be greatly appreciated. also any tips on how to study for nclex? did you take the kaplan and if so which one??

mahalo again,

uhrn2004:p

i graduated with my bsn in 2003 and also wanted to start out in l/d but was also told that they did not hire new grads. so, i accepted a position on a med/surg unit working nights and have worked here for 1 1/2 years. in january, i will be starting a new job at a peds clinic. a few thoughts for you...i'm very glad i have this med/surg experience. there is such a broad variety of patients and experiences that you won't find anywhere else - and will give you confidence on many patient problems you will encounter in l/d...about working nights, lets just say i'm really looking forward to my new job where i'll be working 9am-5pm!!! i can't do three nights in a row (we work 12 1/2 hour shifts) by the third night i'm barely coherent. i usually work 2 on, 1 off, 1 on. i have not ever gotten used to it though - my eating and sleeping schedule is so bizarre, i feel like i don't have a normal life. but other people love it and you may be one of those people! it is quieter - fewer family members and doctors running around. good luck on whatever you embark on - nursing has so many options you will never be bored or run out of places to go:)
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thanks indynurse#2, i hear different things about med/surg, some say it's horrible and they don't remember anything, and others like yourself say it's great experience. i honestly am very confused at this point!! here in hawaii, the majority of jobs available for new grads is the night shift as you have described it, and this is a very difficult shift to get used to. another option i have been looking at is going into public health nursing, the pay is about the same, great hours 8-430pm, state holidays off, benefits galore!! they only hire bsn grads so demand is high. only drawback is the safety part, depending on which neighborhood you are assigned to, and also the paperwork is crazy!! i am working there now as my last rotation before graduating, and love the clients because it's mostly children!! i am confused because there are so many options out there, and i don't want to commit to a job or contract if i am not totally sure of what i want. most of the new grad positions in the hospitals require signing on for minimum of 2 years. i found med/surg clinicals to be frustrating and i never enjoyed going to those clinicals, and know that is not the field i want to pursue, but if it's just to gain experience, that's another story. congratulations on your new job!! i hope to hear from you again, your advice was great, any more advice would be greatly appreciated. also any tips on how to study for nclex? did you take the kaplan and if so which one??

mahalo again,

uhrn2004:p

i graduated with my bsn in 2003 and also wanted to start out in l/d but was also told that they did not hire new grads. so, i accepted a position on a med/surg unit working nights and have worked here for 1 1/2 years. in january, i will be starting a new job at a peds clinic. a few thoughts for you...i'm very glad i have this med/surg experience. there is such a broad variety of patients and experiences that you won't find anywhere else - and will give you confidence on many patient problems you will encounter in l/d...about working nights, lets just say i'm really looking forward to my new job where i'll be working 9am-5pm!!! i can't do three nights in a row (we work 12 1/2 hour shifts) by the third night i'm barely coherent. i usually work 2 on, 1 off, 1 on. i have not ever gotten used to it though - my eating and sleeping schedule is so bizarre, i feel like i don't have a normal life. but other people love it and you may be one of those people! it is quieter - fewer family members and doctors running around. good luck on whatever you embark on - nursing has so many options you will never be bored or run out of places to go:)
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Not JUST the diabetic patients! Post partum can change on a dime. All it take is one problem, like a hemorrhage or pulmonary emboli..Also depends if you are caring for ante natal or gyn patients as well..The reason the med surg thing is "no longer necessary" is NOT because it shouldn't be, but because they want nurse bodies available to take care of patients. If you are going directly to the night shift, chances are you will be oriented quickly or at least quicker because so many things happen with limited staff or resources. You will probably enjoy..Take it as an opportunity to learn a lot and have fun...

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Not JUST the diabetic patients! Post partum can change on a dime. All it take is one problem, like a hemorrhage or pulmonary emboli..Also depends if you are caring for ante natal or gyn patients as well..The reason the med surg thing is "no longer necessary" is NOT because it shouldn't be, but because they want nurse bodies available to take care of patients. If you are going directly to the night shift, chances are you will be oriented quickly or at least quicker because so many things happen with limited staff or resources. You will probably enjoy..Take it as an opportunity to learn a lot and have fun...

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Specializes in Surgical, Peds, UM.

hello again! it sounds like you have some good options - i say go for whatever you think you would enjoy the most - but if you do end up on med/surg, it will be a good learning experience, if not the most enjoyable!...as for the nclex, i did take a kaplan course only because it was given to our senior class at the nursing school i went to. it was good but not something i would've paid for on my own. it was all pretty much just test taking skills, not a whole lot of nursing content. what helped me the most was a book i bought that had a cd of hundreds of questions similar to those on the nclex. it was good because it tells you what areas are your weakest and then you can study those in the book. that was all i did to prepare and i did fine on the test. don't be real worried about it, it's not as bad as it sounds :) good luck in all of these things!!!!!

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