questioning postpartum nursing?

Specialties Ob/Gyn

Published

Hi everybody! I have been a postpartum nurse for the past year and a half, and I absolutely love it. Not only do I love my job, but I love where I work and the people that I work with. However, I do find myself getting a little bored sometimes looking at the same old breast or perineum. I sometimes think that I am less of a nurse because I only do mother/baby nursing. I don't start IV's, take care of really sick patients, or exercise my critical care nursing skills I learned in nursing school. I mean there is the occasional PPH or PIH, or TTN in baby's, but I bascially take care of healthy patients. Does anyone else feel this way in mother/baby nursing? Should I switch positions even though I love my job to be more challenged as a nurse? Just wondering what people think...

Specializes in High-risk OB, Labor & Delivery.

PLEASE can we switch jobs?!?!? I will trade you ANY day to do what you do. I am the exact opposite. I am a cardiac nurse and I deal with the sickest patients at the end of life. Antiarrhythmic gtts, frequent monitoring, blood transfusions, chest tubes, all kinds of drains, coding pts, insulin gtts, dressing changes, hemodynamic instability, physical and chemical restraints, enteral/parenteral feedings, etc. I am done and working hard on getting into your area of care.

On the flip side, if you ever want a taste of what I do, try telemetry, step-down, progressive care. You will NEVER, EVER be bored. Ever.

Hi everybody! I have been a postpartum nurse for the past year and a half, and I absolutely love it. Not only do I love my job, but I love where I work and the people that I work with. However, I do find myself getting a little bored sometimes looking at the same old breast or perineum. I sometimes think that I am less of a nurse because I only do mother/baby nursing. I don't start IV's, take care of really sick patients, or exercise my critical care nursing skills I learned in nursing school. I mean there is the occasional PPH or PIH, or TTN in baby's, but I bascially take care of healthy patients. Does anyone else feel this way in mother/baby nursing? Should I switch positions even though I love my job to be more challenged as a nurse? Just wondering what people think...
Specializes in Cardiac.
PLEASE can we switch jobs?!?!? I will trade you ANY day to do what you do. I am the exact opposite. I am a cardiac nurse and I deal with the sickest patients at the end of life. Antiarrhythmic gtts, frequent monitoring, blood transfusions, chest tubes, all kinds of drains, coding pts, insulin gtts, dressing changes, hemodynamic instability, physical and chemical restraints, enteral/parenteral feedings, etc. I am done and working hard on getting into your area of care.

On the flip side, if you ever want a taste of what I do, try telemetry, step-down, progressive care. You will NEVER, EVER be bored. Ever.

Angelnurse- I am in your exact position. I am ready to switch too :)

I am switching from NICU to PP. I think it is a great fit for me. Do I miss the adrenenaline rush of jets, gtts, and surgery? Sometimes. But, you have to be diligent in monitoring for pp complications. My unit also monitor's high risk (but 'stable') iup's. And, it is at a med center; so we have a lot of pts with interesting health histories. What type of hospital are you at?

Specializes in Postpartum, Mother-baby.
PLEASE can we switch jobs?!?!? I will trade you ANY day to do what you do. I am the exact opposite. I am a cardiac nurse and I deal with the sickest patients at the end of life. Antiarrhythmic gtts, frequent monitoring, blood transfusions, chest tubes, all kinds of drains, coding pts, insulin gtts, dressing changes, hemodynamic instability, physical and chemical restraints, enteral/parenteral feedings, etc. I am done and working hard on getting into your area of care.

On the flip side, if you ever want a taste of what I do, try telemetry, step-down, progressive care. You will NEVER, EVER be bored. Ever.

I am on the same boat, I want to trade(get away from a crazy, busy med-surg unit)...I do anything to get a POSTPARTUM job right now! sighs

I say just work where you enjoy most. I feel like a "real nurse" even though I would have to find look up the procedure and probably call med/surg to help if I had a PICC line. I have spotted subtle signs in newborns and gotten them higher level care before they crashed, I have handled PP Hemorrhages and anaphylactic reactions and saved lives. And I have had patients ask for me back for their second baby and gush to their friends that "this is the nurse that taught me how to do everything and basically keep my baby alive.

I have also had nursing coordinators float our CAs because med/surg needed one ( I guess she thinks we sit around and knit and clip coupons while the moms take care of their babies) and I have had a doctor ask me "why did you switch from skilled nursing to almost retirement"

But we have our own professional organization and conferences and certification - so . . . Any way I guess It's just a matter of what makes you happy

Specializes in OB, Women’s health, Educator, Leadership.

I am also in a similar position of looking for a challenge outside of postpartum nursing. I enjoy it but have to admit that after several years of it I now get bored. Also with the job situation the way that it is, I was a little worried to see that I didn't feel "qualified" for other jobs because I am now rusty with some other skills such as starting an IV etc. I know that you receive training no matter where you go but I can't help feeling less prepared than I would like.

I have been a med surg-tele nurse on a PCU and am now in the process of transferring to mother baby department.

Many of my peers think it's bizarre that I want to transfer to this area...but my 33 years on this earth have taught me to live for myself and to work towards my own goals. That being said, I have also learned to appreciate the journey towards my destination. My 3 years of med surg have given me "skills", but I needed to make some serious decisions. I felt the stress, and the imminent danger of "burnout" was getting close on the med surg unit, so after talking to a professor-mentor, I had the breakdown that needed to happen to refocus me on my career path.

I am currently pursuing my master's in nursing, and am working on a breastfeeding project related to interpersonal peer support in the hospital setting. I had to ask myself the question, "Why did I want to become a nurse?" I then had a flashback to the day I got accepted into the RN program...I was an aesthetician working in a spa. I remember thinking at that time, "Yay! Now I'm on my way to becoming a women's health nurse practitioner!" I wanted (and still do) to be in practice with a family doc and do cosmetic procedures as well (fillers, restylane, botox, etc.). I have always been fascinated with making women feel good about themselves and empowering them. I am also a very strong advocate for breastfeeding. Additionally I am fully bilingual, Spanish-English, and our post-partum patients are primarily hispanic. It seemed painfully obvious that I needed to make a change. And I now feel like a weight has been lifted off my shoulders and I am excited about revisiting my original passion!

Congrats on your transition. Good that you were strong enough and aware enough to make the changes. Sounds like you will be a real asset to your new unit.

Specializes in Mother/ baby.

Hi... I work as a postpartum RN in Erie, Pa. And I can tell u that I feel like I am a med surg nursebsome days... In the last week I have dealt with wound vacs, ng tubes, c diff, placing iv's, cardiac gtts, giving insulin, and TPN via a Picc line... I don't know where u work but I seem to be the crap magnet where I work! LOL

I enjoy days when I only have to worry about breastfeeding help and fundus checks! :nurse:

Specializes in L&D.
I did mother baby for the first 2 years also after nrsg school, and sometimes i did feel the same way..not too much of a challenge for me. BUT i definitely knew the areas the i was NOT interested in, like med surg, ICU, that just wasnt for me. I didnt feel LESS of a nurse doing PP, i enjoyed the teaching aspect of it. With postpartum you have to be really pt, assess the entire needs of the family and babe. Its funny bc other nurses in other areas would cringe at the site of a newborn (and not know where to begin).

Since i did not have a med surg background, I did also begin L/D. I enjoy it, but it is very stressful. I am more mentally tired, than phsically tired..I guess it just depends on where u see yourself. Why not try labor, or peds if you seek more of challenge. good luck!:rolleyes: :rolleyes:

I'm interested in doing L&D when I graduate nursing school. Did you find it hard to jump right into a L&D job with no previous experience. This is my dilemma because I too am not interested in Med Surg, ICU, or anything else and I feel like I would be wasting my time getting a position in these areas. BUT I've heard that it's great to get a solid background in these areas so that I could get a good foundation for my first few years. I know if I did this I probably wouldn't like my position much, but then I try to think positive about the possibility and say "Maybe I will learn more than I ever thought I would." I love nursing so I'm sure I would do well in any area but my passion is L&D. Would you suggest I go straight into L&D or should I get some other experience first? How do you handle that you sometimes feel "bored" with the field? I would like to be mentally challenged, but I also like the fact that a lot of these mothers are healthy and I would love the teaching aspect as well.

Specializes in L&D.
I would feel that way if I did not do "it all". This is why I chose to work in a setting that has LDRP (labor/delivery/postpartum)-----all-in-one-room care. I care for all patients in the women's health care spectrum, from labor/delivery to postpartum, newborns and also gynecological surgical care as well! I am rarely bored as I get to do a little of everything. I prefer labor/delivery and love to care for labor patients. But it is sure nice to follow their care into their recovery and postpartum phases as well.

I know for a fact, I would not be happy soley in mother-baby nursing. I want variety. This is why I like doing LDRP and GYN surgical nursing so much. It's a bit different each day.

Can you perhaps try cross-training into L/D or GYN care? This may be the cure "for what ails you".....

I'm a student nurse right now but I'm interested in being a L&D nurse. I too would like to do LDRP, but I heard this is not an option in all hospitals especially big ones. How were you able to get this position where you could be a labor, newborn, and postpartum nurse? I'm interested in doing all 3 positions in one job setting. Any suggestions?

Specializes in OB-Gyn/Primary Care/Ambulatory Leadership.
Hi everybody! I have been a postpartum nurse for the past year and a half, and I absolutely love it. Not only do I love my job, but I love where I work and the people that I work with. However, I do find myself getting a little bored sometimes looking at the same old breast or perineum. I sometimes think that I am less of a nurse because I only do mother/baby nursing. I don't start IV's, take care of really sick patients, or exercise my critical care nursing skills I learned in nursing school. I mean there is the occasional PPH or PIH, or TTN in baby's, but I bascially take care of healthy patients. Does anyone else feel this way in mother/baby nursing? Should I switch positions even though I love my job to be more challenged as a nurse? Just wondering what people think...

Yes, absolutely. One of the reasons I'm looking for jobs outside floor nursing. When I work postpartum, I mainly feel like a well-paid waitress.

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