New OB Nurses, Grads and Students, Please Feel Free to post your questions here:

Specialties Ob/Gyn

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

You are reading page 31 of New OB Nurses, Grads and Students, Please Feel Free to post your questions here:

hildegard

2 Posts

"I am also worried about getting an L&D job out of school. I plan on going to grad school either right away or shortly after I graduate, but I plan on working as an L&D nurse if I don't go right away. I'm in Boston and I'm pretty sure it's really challenging to get L&D jobs as a new grad here. I don't know of any hospitals that offer new grad entry programs in L&D, which seems weird because so many of our hospitals deliver and are some of the best hospitals in the country.

Also, as a random out-of-curiosity question, does anyone have ballparks on what new L&D's make for salary? I know it varies greatly by area and the Northeast tends to be higher than many other parts...but I'm just wondering. I know a new grad who went to NYC to work in L&D and she's making money I thought only nurses who'd been in it 20 years made...but that's NYC.

Thoughts? Thank you!"

You are right about it being challenging to get an L&D position as a new grad in the Boston area. Hospitals here are very strict about the 1yr med/surg policy. If you are willing to commute or move, you may want to try Salem Hospital. They sometimes hire new grads and they pay new grads the equivalent of Boston metro area hospitals, although there is a longer wait after hire for a pay increase.

Several NYC/Brooklyn hospitals are open to new grads in L&D and the pay is MUCH better than Boston!!! In Boston, it seems the going rate is around $26/hr to start. I think it's almost $40 at some places in New York. So as far as cost of living goes, New York has a better ratio. It's expensive to live in Boston!!

But SF is the place to be for good pay...I know a new grad who is making $49.

Either way, I would recommend contacting the Nurse Managers in maternity at different hospitals. Sometimes a graceful passion for doing a certain kind of work comes across beyond what's on your resume.

Hello! What are the duties and responsibilities / routine work during Days shift /Night shift in Postpartum Unit? What skills do I need to learn? Aside from PIH patient, what other patients do you have on the floor? What stress do you always encounter? I am a Med-Surg nurse and plans to work on Postpartum unit. I need your thoughts,my colleagues. Thank you and hope to hear from ALL of you.

melanie1126

40 Posts

I've been a RN for just at a year now and have been working nights on a VERY busy telemetry med/surge floor. My plan was to continue to work there a couple of years to get comfortable as a nurse (lots of anxiety at being new to nursing!). However, we found out last week that my husband who is in the Air Force reserves is being deployed to the Middle East (hopefully not Iraq!) for 6 months. I now have to find a day job. My hospital has a prn position on women's surgery for days and I was considering applying with hopes of working my way to Mom & Baby, then on to L&D (my goal - but I want years of experience before L&D). Today though I saw a new posting for a part time day position in Mom & Baby. I'm trying to decide if I should just go for the Mom & Baby position. Even though I'm used to caring for some very sick patients on my floor, my experience is with CHF, post Cardiac Cath, COPD exacerbation and End Stage Renal Patients (all who are monitored). I'm terrified at trying something so different so early in my career where I am just beginning to get comfortable where I'm at. Pre-Nursing I have an accounting background so being in this uncontrolled, ever changing environment has been quite a challenge for me. My question is given my background and above mentioned anxiety would women's surgery be a better stepping stone for me on my way to OB and later on L&D. I realize it's totally different field but I have NO experience whatsoever with gyn nursing, or would you adivise to go ahead and bite the bullet with Mom Baby. We have a high risk floor so I think our mom& baby is just routine Vag/C sect PP patients. Also, what is nurse/pt ratio. I'm assuming you take patients in pairs (mom & baby) so how many pairs assigned (so I can tell if the ratio at our hospital is safe - trust me it's not where I work now 6-8 monitored pts to 1 nurse.) Also is there usually any training provided on dealing with psychological issues ( bonding, loss of child, breastfeeding, etc.). I've read through this thread so I've seen some of the different types of assessments I'll learn. I'd appreciate any advice or info you can throw my way. Sorry, Long post!

nursemelani

213 Posts

I've been a RN for just at a year now and have been working nights on a VERY busy telemetry med/surge floor. My plan was to continue to work there a couple of years to get comfortable as a nurse (lots of anxiety at being new to nursing!). However, we found out last week that my husband who is in the Air Force reserves is being deployed to the Middle East (hopefully not Iraq!) for 6 months. I now have to find a day job. My hospital has a prn position on women's surgery for days and I was considering applying with hopes of working my way to Mom & Baby, then on to L&D (my goal - but I want years of experience before L&D). Today though I saw a new posting for a part time day position in Mom & Baby. I'm trying to decide if I should just go for the Mom & Baby position. Even though I'm used to caring for some very sick patients on my floor, my experience is with CHF, post Cardiac Cath, COPD exacerbation and End Stage Renal Patients (all who are monitored). I'm terrified at trying something so different so early in my career where I am just beginning to get comfortable where I'm at. Pre-Nursing I have an accounting background so being in this uncontrolled, ever changing environment has been quite a challenge for me. My question is given my background and above mentioned anxiety would women's surgery be a better stepping stone for me on my way to OB and later on L&D. I realize it's totally different field but I have NO experience whatsoever with gyn nursing, or would you adivise to go ahead and bite the bullet with Mom Baby. We have a high risk floor so I think our mom& baby is just routine Vag/C sect PP patients. Also, what is nurse/pt ratio. I'm assuming you take patients in pairs (mom & baby) so how many pairs assigned (so I can tell if the ratio at our hospital is safe - trust me it's not where I work now 6-8 monitored pts to 1 nurse.) Also is there usually any training provided on dealing with psychological issues ( bonding, loss of child, breastfeeding, etc.). I've read through this thread so I've seen some of the different types of assessments I'll learn. I'd appreciate any advice or info you can throw my way. Sorry, Long post!

From what I have heard from my friends who work in the hospital, nothing is harder than med-surg. Mother-baby sounds like a dream job to me. If you have personally given birth and breast fed, that is a big plus.

I am just now starting school. I have always wanted to be and ob nurse!!! The ladies at the school I want to go to have no idea what they are even doing! No one knows if I need certain classes since I want to specialize in OB! Can someone help me out and tell me what I need to take?? Thanks!!

Specializes in Home Health.

I would like to know if LPN 's can get into this area of nursing coming out as a new grad. LPN. I am specifically looking for work in the Dover, DE area. Please offer any suggestions/advice & resourceful links.

ladybugsea

217 Posts

Question -- could attending conferences and taking CEUs help me get into L&D faster? I'm becoming an RN on my way to becoming a CNM (although I may work as an RN for a while so I can have a break from school and concentrate on my family). Naturally, I would like to get into L&D since that is why I am becoming a nurse in the first place. :) I know that it is often hard to get into L&D without experience. There is a Partners in Perinatal Health conference in my state next month and I would love to attend. Only it's the day before my A&P II final, so not really a great time for me. I want to go to the conference because I'm so interested in it (the keynote speaker especially, last year it was Ina May Gaskin, wish I had known about it), but I also was thinking it might help out my resume for later. Does this kind of thing help? I'm also involved with La Leche League and got CEUs at their conference this past weekend. Trying to decide if I should add this other conference to my already over-loaded schedule. Thanks!

crowdreamer

3 Posts

Hi, I am really new, I haven't even started in the nursing field yet and am considering whether or not to start. I would be changing careers, but I really want to be a nurse-midwife. I love everything about childbirth, it fascinates me, and I think it's my true passion in life.

But before I get into nursing school, I have a few questions about midwifery.

1. Was anyone here able to work while going for their CNM certification or MSN degree? My husband doesn't make enough on his own to support both of us and our family while I go to school.

2. Does anyone here have kids? I am 35 years old and trying to get pregnant. I have concerns about the hours of midwives and how that affects the family.

3. The hospitals in my community do not hire midwifes, all OB care is done by OB/GYNs. I could start out as a nurse in L/D, but eventually I would have to work at a birthing center or doing homebirths. This is fine with me, but I'm wondering what kind of money I am looking at making, and if it would be enough to pay back student loans, and whether it would be worth it.

Any other advice would be greatly appreciated as well.

Thanks,

Carrie

pinky112582

5 Posts

hi,

i am on my 3rd term in nursung school. anyone here who can help me out in coming up with discharge plan for a patient diagnosed with " pregnancy- induced hypokalemia?" ill really appreciate your help and time. Thanks a lot

SCmomof3, RN

407 Posts

Specializes in NICU.

I haven't posted in this thread in ages, but I just had to share - I had the most amazing day today!! I got to observe in Labor and Delivery and saw 1 C-section and 2 lady partsl births. So amazing!!! This completely cemented my plan to be a L&D nurse - not that I had any doubts. I am so excited and learned so much. The ob was amazing - so helpful and fun and loved to teach. He actually told me he was impressed and that I should go to medical school LOL! He said there is absolutely nothing wrong with being a nurse and spent most of the day praising the nurses on the floor, but said that if I feel like I want more of the action, I should definitely go to med school. I didn't have the heart to tell him I eventually aspire to be a CNM since I will essentially be his competition LOL! I just told him I'm too old for med school hehe. I was asking lots of questions and answered all of his ?s correctly. There was also one nurse in particular who was a fabulous teacher, not only to us students but to the patients as well. She spent a lot of time with us showing us how to be good team nurses and how to set things up, etc. OMGosh y'all I just LOOOOVED my day! The best clinical day EVER!! :)

nursing06

2 Posts

I am currently a nursing student that will graduate in June '06. I have applied for an L & D Intership program and have an interview soon. I have not interviewed in 15 years. How should I prepare and does anyone have any tips or suggestions for me? Thanks so much!!!!:uhoh21:

stefanitenzi

32 Posts

Hi, I'm a new nurse workig in well nursery do you have any pointers on how to calculate heart rate and respirations correctly?? I'm having a hard time counting the apical rate for a full min and also watching/listening to resp rate...any tricks?? I know to put my finger in the babies mouth to quiet them when they start to cry...help!!!

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