OB RN wants a job outside of the hospital!

[utkayla]

Hey Everybody! I have worked on an LDRP unit for 2 years and am considering a job change. I love my patients, but the hours and hospital management are starting to get to me. I'm trying to get ideas about what other careers options are out there for RNs with OB experience OUTSIDE of the hospital. Any suggestions you all have would be greatly appreciated. Thanks!

[KALFRN14]

OB/Gyn doctors office is an option. You probably won't make as much money as you did at the hospital but you'll have the necessary experience and you'll get your holidays and weekends off. You could also look into a OB education (ie: breastfeeding/lactation nurse, child birthing, etc.) Just some ideas on maybe where to start.

[L&D_Chick]

In NYC there's the option of home care. These nurses make their own hours and visit new moms at home after delivery. They help with teaching, breastfeeding and assessments.

[utkayla]

Thanks for the advice! Home health is definitely something I'm looking in to.

[notnursezelda]

In NYC there's the option of home care. These nurses make their own hours and visit new moms at home after delivery. They help with teaching, breastfeeding and assessments.

wouldn't that be a significant drop in salary and benefits as well?

[klone, MSN, RN]

Nurse Family Partnership is one option.

I work as the RN/supervisor of an OB/Gyn clinic, after 6 years in L&D/Inpatient OB. LOVE it. It helps that it is a clinic that is part of a hospital network, so I am paid the same as inpatient RNs (actually, more, as I am a "charge nurse"). No paycut.

[HazelLPN, LPN]

This might seem a stretch, but have you ever considered school nursing? I am a retired PICU/NICU nurse and now work as a substitute assistant school nurse. I work in a large urban district and your OB background would definitely be beneficial. Where I work, the school RNs need to have a license from the state department of education to be certified as school nurses and they are on the same salary schedule as the teachers and have their own bargaining unit within the teachers union. Many of our school RNs have MSN or M.Ed. degrees and receive substantial raises for them and the district will pay for part of the tuition. Had I been an RN, I think I would have really loved being the actual school nurse. It's not just ice packs and bandaids like most people think....its a lot of autonomy and when you work in the inner city as you are often the only health care professional that the kids see on a regular basis.

Best to you,

Mrs H.

[utkayla]

I hadn't really considered school nursing before, but that does sound like something I might be interested in. I will certainly look into it. Thanks for the suggestion!

[princesskmi]

I do maternity case management for a large insurance company. Oddly enough I am also in Tennessee with a Labor and Delivery background. There is also a company called Alere that does OB specific home health and they serve all parts of Tennessee.

[L&D_Chick]

Well, I started right out of nursing school with an ADN. For home care RNs, starting salary is $70k without any experience. I'm not sure what the rate might be somewhere else but I was over the moon with that salary. :-)

[L&D_Chick]

Well, I started right out of nursing school with an ADN. For home care RNs, starting salary is $70k without any experience. I'm not sure what the rate might be somewhere else but I was over the moon with that salary. :-)

wouldn't that be a significant drop in salary and benefits as well?

[perfexion, ASN, RN]

Right now I'm doing OB telephone triage from home. I'm just taking a break from the hospital though. I plan to return to L&D next year.