OB nursing questions

[LAJJmom, ADN, ASN, CNA, RN]

So, I graduated with my ADN in December 2014. I worked Med-Surg at a tiny (25 bed) rural hospital from January 15-July 15 and then went back to work at a hospital where I was a PCA previously also on the Med-Surg unit. I am still technically there PRN. Last month I landed my absolute dream job in LDRP. I am almost 3 weeks in to the training and I am DYING. I can't keep up with the charting! I am training in Postpartum now and am supposed to start labor in another week. I am struggling with Cerner (I have only used Meditech). I am "older" so I am sure that is a big part of the problem. The girl training me is frustrated with me, I am sure. She just looks over my charting and tells me all the things I have done wrong. I really want to do this and I really want to be good at it. Is it just early in the game and I need to stick it out? Am I too old to do this? I am still a newer nurse and this is just more than I thought it would be. They have us charting on a tracking board, in the Cerner system and on a CareCompass system. I feel like I am charting in triplicate. How do you seasoned LDRP nurses set up your day? I need help! This is the whole reason I went to nursing school and now I feel like I am failing miserably.

[SoldierNurse22, BSN, RN]

Sorry to hear you're having so much trouble, OP! I know at 3 weeks in, I had the same feeling of being completely overwhelmed! My preceptors focused primarily on completing physical tasks at that point in my training, however, so charting didn't really enter into it until a few weeks later. They wanted to make sure I had the tough part down (the actual patient care) before introducing me to what they considered the easier part (charting!).

Are you struggling with remembering everything you need to chart? Is it typing speed? Is it an unfamiliarity with the system? Has your facility provided you with computer training in order to familiarize you with the system and give you practice with charting? There is a lot to chart in OB, and sometimes (especially on orientation) it can seem like you don't have enough time to chart and do all the physical tasks required of you, too.

[ashleyisawesome, BSN, RN]

Relax, you are only 3 weeks in! It is tough to learn a new specialty AND a new charting system at the same time. OB nurses are generally really anal about their charting (hence the triplicate charting), because we get sued a lot, so you want to be thorough and accurate. You want to be able to look at that charting 5 years from now if you end up in court and be able to picture that patient and everything you did for them.

I had a small meltdown when I started in L&D because of all the charting. I felt like there was so much to chart, so often and I was paranoid I would chart something incorrectly and it would come back to haunt me. I also felt like I was such a slow charter and either spent so much time on the computer I barely got to take care of my patient, or I was busy taking care of the patient and had no time to chart and ended up staying late to back chart. I am 8 months in and I am a lot more comfortable with charting now--it does not consume me the way it used to and I rarely have to stay late to back chart. It takes time, don't let it get to you. Everyone was new at some point and felt lost like you did, it will get better. Just always remember that the patient comes first. Charting can be dealt with later, a hemorrhaging mom or a baby in distress can't be.