New to mother/baby nursing

1. I was recently offered a job on a mother/baby floor after working a year on a med surg floor. Can anyone offer any advice on how to transition to this completely different field of nursing? This is my dream job and I don't want to mess it up. Are there any reference books I should read?? We were only given one semester of maternal child nursing in school and only one clinical and I don't remember very much about it. It was given during the summer and we rushed through it. ANY help would be appreciated!
   
   Thanks!!

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2. 

   About alarn84

   Joined: May '09; Posts: 25; Likes: 1

   3 Comments

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3. 
   Jan 28, '13

   Congrats! I've been pulled to this area and I really enjoyed it. If you still have your OB book I would pull it out and start skimming through it.
   
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4. 
   Jan 28, '13

   Hi! I have no advice to offer as I am starting a preceptorship on mother/baby next week (im a student), but am interested in the replies. Good luck at your new job and congratulations!
5. 
   Jan 30, '13

   I got a job as a new grad there. It really helped me to re-read some of my old OB notes. I reviewed mother and baby head-to-toe assessments, common postpartum medications, medications used for a hemorrhage, postpartum complications, and basic care for the newborn. My floor also takes some antepartums so I reviewed some of that too, like pyelo, hyperemesis, gestational diabetes.
   
   Also, my floor gives handouts and booklets to moms for education purposes, I took those and read them myself. I asked the breastfeeding consultant if I could follow her around during rounds to learn how to assist people with breastfeeding. I asked a lot of questions to my preceptor and took notes. Good luck!

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