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

KK7724 · May 11, 2005

I think it would be GREAT to start out in Mother-Baby frankly. I wish I had had the option. Where I first worked, I had to learn it all, because it was a fairly small LDRP unit (meaning, labor, delivery, recovery, post-partum). So it was a very steep curve for me. The nursery, I assume, is a "well baby" or Level 2 nursery, right? If so, it's ok to start out there, too. You will become very comfortable with normal infant care/feeding/habits/healthy characteristics first. Nothing at all wrong with that. You can then move on to Mother-Baby/Post partum and then L/D. I think that progression would provide you the best background and learning experience. Slow and easy does it, really.
But be sure you DO get to do L/D if that is what is promised. Ask about "logical progression", in other words, ask them how long they plan to keep you working first, in the nursery. Then, Mother-Baby--- and about how long it will be before your rotation to L/D begins. There is NO shame, no disgrace, in spending several months learning these areas, first. You will be a MUCH better L/D nurse than I was after a year or two, if you do it this way. I had to learn so much too fast. But where I worked, like I said, I had no choice. It was a rural setting, the only hospital around for about 50 miles. If I had had a choice, knowing what I do now, after 8 years' OB/GYN experience, I would do it the way YOU would be doing it, now.
And, do not shy away from caring for GYN surgical patients. It will ONLY make you more marketable and the job less tedious. It's an interesting area, too! Where I currently work, I do it all; LDRP, GYN surgical, and Level 2 nursery. NOT ever BORING for me. I am glad to have all the experience I do, because I can work anyplace BUT, perhaps, the Level 3 NICU (I have NO desire to ever do that).
So, my advice after in all this long-winded posting, is, be patient-------try it out this way, doing the well baby nursery first, then Mother-Baby and moving onto L/D and GYN. Just make sure, if L/D is truly your goal, you will get there. Keep on bugging them after a few months' time in the other areas. You may discover after doing MBU or PP that L/D is NOT for you. Who can say? At least, having done all of them, you will know WELL what you like and don't like, before your move to South Carolina, right?
I wish you luck. I hope my answers helped. If you have more questions, please, don't hesitate to ask, ok? Congratulations on joining us and your upcoming graduation---and yes, you will be an OB/GYN nurse! Be PROUD! :balloons:

awww...thank you! You made me feel so much better! I really like my assistant unit manager--she sought me out during preceptorship and she knows Labor was my first choice. However, I will admit, I had the most fun when I spent the 12 hour shift in the Nursery! Yes, it's well-baby. Our hospital is set up pretty nicely though I think....the mom comes in, we assign her a room, she delivers here, recovers here, and stays here in the same room until discharge. I think the UM's and AUM's want to cross-train the staff...especially since my unit mgr is over Obstetrics and Mother/Baby (basically just ob/gyn surgical pt's). I really do believe they want me to get acclimated and comfortable first, because you're right--Labor is stressful. There is so much to learn and it is intimidating at how much you get just from doing it for so long. My preceptor was great, but I still didn't come out of there reading monitor strips like a pro. Anyhow, thank you for replying to my post. You really made me feel lots better and I finally know I'm an OB/GYN nurse! Yay!

~Kristina~

Pinned Nurse May 12, 2005

New Graduate May 14, 2005

Nursery Nurse May 31, 2005 :balloons:

KK7724 · May 11, 2005

I started out in LDRP all at once and TOTALLY flopped. It was overwhelming. And I was a total die-hard ob-or-nothing new grad. I had a bad orientation though, which didn't help. But, now I am going to med-surg for six months or so they say, but I know in my heart that I have a long career ahead of me and that I'll return to OB very soon. I WISH I could have just done only post partum care, or just nursery without the pressure of labor. You will feel so much more on top of things and confident by learning one thing at a time. Good luck, I hope to keep hearing from you here.

Thank you for replying....I have thought about what you said and what SmilingBlueEyes said also....I need to take this time to enjoy my career that I am starting....When I told my fellow classmates that I got a Nursery job--they were almost jealous! It's such a fun and rewarding place I think. Labor is great also, but I know I will learn better if I can learn one thing at a time like you said. --Feel free to email me sometime--I am sure I will be full of questions as usual! :) [email protected]

~Kristina~

SmilingBluEyes · May 12, 2005

I saw a situation where a mother from India was calling the nurses in to change the baby's diapers. The nurse who had her said that she'd change one, but that we needed to see that she is able to care for her baby before she left the unit. This mother called throughout the day for nurses to change diapers. When asked who will change diapers at home, she said her mother in law would. Is this a common situation with this culture. The other issue I haven't mentioned yet is that there was concern about the gender of the baby. It was a girl, and the couple had asked their *midwife*(!) about abortion at 22 weeks when they learned the gender. So, we were concened. No one took the time to talk to the mom about her feelings toward the baby. If you were that nurse, what would you have done?

This is very common in the East Indian culture. You will often find women who have given birth reluctant (and disallowed) to do anything much for themselves but eat and stay in bed. It is common for the female family members to assume infant care and also to care for the new mother for several weeks after birth.

The gender issue does concern me a bit. However, it's hard to judge accurately just how they feel about the baby in the short time they are in the hospital, given cultural barriers, I know. All you can do is encourage mom and baby to bond, as well as observe how the father interracts with the couplet. Document any real lack of bonding or concerning behaviors and address them according to facility protocols (e.g. involving social workers etc). But understand, culturally, it is very common for the mother to do very little herself in these early days and weeks after birth. All you can do is encourage ambulation and proper nutrition, appealing to her senior female family members who are caring for her, as much as possible. If you let them know how she benefits from caring for self and baby, they may more likely comply, at least to some degree, with your requests.

Get a good book on cultural diversity nursing----it will help a lot. I keep a spiral bound one in my locker at work. It helps to know where people from other lands/cultural/religious belief systems are coming from in order to best take care of them and help them care for themselves. Respect makes ALL the difference!

KK7724 · May 12, 2005

Can you have an avatar only if you are a premium member?? I tried to go to my user cp and edit avatar, but the only selection is "no avatar" and I try to unclick it to no avail.

~Kristina~

SmilingBluEyes · May 12, 2005

Yes, having an avatar is a premium member option, only.

DH_ RN · May 13, 2005

Mugwump had a great idea offering services to new grads as a mentor (thank you for that!)
So, I thought having a "sticky" for new grads, OB nurses, students, and others with questions who want to post these can do so here. We also seem to see many of the same questions over and over, so perhaps this would help serve as an ongoing discussion of common issues/questions we all seem to have on our minds. This could serve not just for those asking directly, but others who may be "lurking" and looking for information or considering a career in OB, newborn, GYN nursing, or midwifery, doula services, childbirth education, lactation consulting, or other related work.
So if any mod thinks this is a good idea, mind stickying this?
Let's give this a go and see how it works out. We have many potential "mentors" here among us who, I am sure, would LOVE to help a new nurse/midwife/doula or student on his or her way to a rewarding career. I know I would love to help out!

I have been a Med/Surg RN for 2 years. When I first grad from nursing school I wanted to jump right into Women's Health, but everywhere I applied wanted exp RNs. Now 2 years later I am applying/interviewing at several different hospitals. How is transitioning from Med/Surg to OB? Can you gie me any additional advice?

new_mom2005 · May 13, 2005

Hello... first of all this is a great thread!!! I do have a ? and would love it if someone could answer this one for me..... I will be going into the LPN program this year and I am wanting to work in the L&D department at a local hospital, but I heard from several different people that a LPN could not help with the delivery , only if they have a c section,,,, is this true?

Thanks so much for your help :)

mugwump · May 15, 2005

Hello... first of all this is a great thread!!! I do have a ? and would love it if someone could answer this one for me..... I will be going into the LPN program this year and I am wanting to work in the L&D department at a local hospital, but I heard from several different people that a LPN could not help with the delivery , only if they have a c section,,,, is this true?
Thanks so much for your help :)

At my hospital a hospital that does over 700 deliveries a month. LPN's do the recovery's on moms and babies. I don't belive they do deliveries. But my advice in any experience in L&D would be to your benifit. At the VERY least it gets your foot and the door and people familiar with you.

khine2mn80 · May 23, 2005

I work as a nurse tech on a postpartum floor. We have a lot of pts from other countries. Many of them have different ideas about postpartum care, such as not bathing, not getting out of bed, not caring for their infant except to feed.
Do I respect their beliefs and let them to stay in bed, etc. or do I try to make them conform to the plan of care? We are taught to respect cultural diversity but what if that diversity puts pts at risk for DVT or infection?
Some nurses force the pts to ambulate, bathe and demonstrate infant care, while others allow the pts to do whatever they want. I am not sure which approach is correct.
Thanks for your help!

well i have the same thing in my ward. i m in singapore n mostly chinese people have all sorts of belief n stuff..cant bathe cant drink cold water cant eat this n that...etc...its so interesting on the other hand i have patients from the west where they do stuff totally different from these ppl....but we do respect every individual's concept of pp care....most impt thing is to priotise what is important. for me i will tell those who says they cant bathe, at least to wash their perineum properly n sponge themselves with a towel or so....

dvt n their culture diversity?? just imagine would u risk it?? dont cos when the problem arise, u have to do what ur knowledge tells u to in the best interest of ur patients well being...remember ur ethics...so get them on their feet...with a good explanation in terms they could digest...

khine2mn80 · May 23, 2005

hi

could anyone help me clarify the settings for post natal wards in the states. from where im working currently that is in asia, we have seperate wards for laubour N Delivery. post partum unit is together with the nursery and nurses who work in L N D will not work in pp care unit. pp care unit nurses take care of caesareans, antenatals, post natals n pph cases n rotate in n out of nursery...

1) could you tell me how it works there in the states cos i m a lil confused from just reading some of the threads..

2) if ur not a midwife rn could u still work in L N D and pp units?? I'D LOVE TO KNOW THAT COS I LOVE WORKING IN POST NATAL CARE OR L N D if i get to the states.

3) if i had no experience in labour n delivery but had experience in post natal ward, could i still apply for the post n what would be my chances

thanks a million

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LIFE IS A MIRROR....EVERY GOOD N BAD DEED COMES BACK AT YOU...ITS JUST A MATTER OF TIME

nancimarie · May 24, 2005

You don't have to be a midwife to work in labor and delivery.

I do both, one night I have labor and the next night I have moms and babies and we all help out with everything. It's good that you have postpartum experience, apply for a position with both. We have a small unit, and all on one floor, only 5 birthing rooms and 3 postpartum rooms for moms with c-sections. I would love to work in a bigger hospital one day.

:)

hi
could anyone help me clarify the settings for post natal wards in the states. from where im working currently that is in asia, we have seperate wards for laubour N Delivery. post partum unit is together with the nursery and nurses who work in L N D will not work in pp care unit. pp care unit nurses take care of caesareans, antenatals, post natals n pph cases n rotate in n out of nursery...
1) could you tell me how it works there in the states cos i m a lil confused from just reading some of the threads..
2) if ur not a midwife rn could u still work in L N D and pp units?? I'D LOVE TO KNOW THAT COS I LOVE WORKING IN POST NATAL CARE OR L N D if i get to the states.
3) if i had no experience in labour n delivery but had experience in post natal ward, could i still apply for the post n what would be my chances
thanks a million
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SmilingBluEyes · May 24, 2005

hi
could anyone help me clarify the settings for post natal wards in the states. from where im working currently that is in asia, we have seperate wards for laubour N Delivery. post partum unit is together with the nursery and nurses who work in L N D will not work in pp care unit. pp care unit nurses take care of caesareans, antenatals, post natals n pph cases n rotate in n out of nursery...
1) could you tell me how it works there in the states cos i m a lil confused from just reading some of the threads..
2) if ur not a midwife rn could u still work in L N D and pp units?? I'D LOVE TO KNOW THAT COS I LOVE WORKING IN POST NATAL CARE OR L N D if i get to the states.
3) if i had no experience in labour n delivery but had experience in post natal ward, could i still apply for the post n what would be my chances
thanks a million
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My advice is you try to get a job in postpartum or Mother-Baby---or well baby nursery---- first. Try for a larger hospital (fewer opportunities exist at smaller community hospitals)--- and see what openings exist in those units. You can always get into L/D later, if that is your dream. And in the USA, you only need an LPN (licensed practical nurse) or RN (registered nurse) credential to work in most PP/MBU's. Most hire only RN's, but there are units hiring LPN's too.

For a comprehensive list of US hospitals and their websites, you may visit:

http://www.hospitalsoup.com

Good luck! :)