OB Rotation is Hell

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I am a male nursing student. I am doing well in school overall and acing my Med surg rotations--However, my OB rotation is pure hell! i feel useless and out of place. They tossed me out of a Birthing room today because I was in the way of the doctor and nurse! They make me feel like a jerk and like I dont belong there--I dont want to fail this rotation because --right now I feel like a incompetant idiot! What are your thoughts about OB and Male nurses?

Specializes in Community, OB, Nursery.
they don't just hate you...they hate every man when they're giving birth.;)

I would have to disagree with that. I distinctly remember while laboring with my son telling the MD (who happened to be female, just by chance) that I didn't care who was in the room with me, as long as they were helpful. I told her that if Pres. Bush walked in, I'd ask him to hold a leg.

Seriously. Most of us don't care at the time.

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Yep.

I'm in OB and guess what? I'm either the celophane man (invisible) or a total pariah (not allowed in L/D, etc.). The only place that is reasonably good is the NICU. It's me and two other guys in the group. The instructor, thank goodness, is very kind and understanding. She said: "you know what guys: just try to get through, I'll make it as smooth as possible for you. OB is not for male nurses, we all know that...just hang in there"!

Good luck to you.!.

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Specializes in med/surg.

Well I'm not a guy, but I absolutely hated OB, not my cup of tea...which surprised most everyone I knew being that I have a child of my own. Well so what I still hated it... and I opened my big mouth & told my instructor that too. Probably not the best idea... but she was so into OB she tried like he-- to convert me, so she took every opportunity to push me to do something involving OB.

That doesn't help you... I know... my advice is the same as a previous poster... talk to your instructor... hopefully you'll come up with a plan or you'll get some brave new moms... Good luck wish you all the best!

Just grin & bear it... it'll be over soon.

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Specializes in med/surg.
I would have to disagree with that. I distinctly remember while laboring with my son telling the MD (who happened to be female, just by chance) that I didn't care who was in the room with me, as long as they were helpful. I told her that if Pres. Bush walked in, I'd ask him to hold a leg.

Seriously. Most of us don't care at the time.

AMEN... by the time I was ready to push I didn't care who was in the room I just wanted that baby outta there!!!

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Specializes in Med-Surg, Cardiac.

I start the OB/Peds rotation on Feb 25.

Don't know whether to dread it or not.

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I start the OB/Peds rotation on Feb 25.

Don't know whether to dread it or not.

Dreading it isn't going to help; look forward to it as a learning experience....

You'll either get excluded or included.

If excluded just make sure you know what you need to do to pass.

If included you'll be too busy learning to worry about it...

Good luck!

Mark

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Guys,

I'm telling you. Walk in, put gloves on and do everyting you can to help your preceptor. If you slink to the outside walls, the staff or pt will ask you to leave. This is a time when being timid is definitely to your disadvantage.

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And then we get the bizzle from couplet care who walks around with this smug look on her face because she can shut me out of breastfeeding instruction.

Hope I'm not crashing your forum (I'm a girl!) but that's utterly (udderly? HA HA!) ridiculous. I've NEVER given birth, yet I was expected to give breast feeding instruction. Now I felt qualified just based on what I'd been taught, and I feel as though I know what I'm talking about - but please - what do I know about let-down reflex if I've never experienced it?

My point is - what the h-e-double hockey sticks makes YOU any different? What a load of crap! :icon_roll

I'm totally in your corner here, guys. If I was pregnant, and went into sudden labor in a shopping mall, I would feel JUST as safe if the ONLY person who stopped to help me (if only to keep me calm until EMS could arrive) was a guy (no matter what age) who came up to me and said, "Don't worry, ma'am, I'm a nurse - I'll be here with you". And if he looked to see if the head was out - I"m really not going to care one way or the other.

The ONE guy in my class (only one, poor thing) is the world's best teddy bear - he had 51 little sisters (even though about half of us were older than him!) for 16 months. If I'd been pregnant, I would have rather had HIM in my delivery than several of the chicks in my class.

ROLL ON MEN IN NURSING!!! I'm a former military girl and I love working with guys because: (1) you don't get caught up in the female BS (and you know what I mean); (2) I can have it out with one of my guy friends and we can still go have a beer after work - you know where you stand with a true male friend moreso than SO many women I know, (3) you KEEP IT REAL, and (4) when I do confide in a male friend about the goofy one I married, he always tells me straight up if I'm blowing it without blowing smoke up my butt.

Just my :twocents: guys, not trying to crash your thread here! :typing

OH YEAH: PS - regarding the idiot instructor who told the guy he shouldn't be allowed in the rotation - DID SHE TELL THE MALE DOCTORS TO LEAVE? Would she tell a MALE INTERN that? Sexist cow (sorry!). :) If a male instructor told a female she shouldn't be allowed to do testicular exams or give instruction on male sexual dysfunction, he'd be sued for sexual harassment/discrimination/any other charge her lawyer could come up with.

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Female here and pre-req nursing student to boot. I wouldn't have a problem with a male student/male nurse taking care of me. As long as they were professional and kind I would be okay with it. Trust me there are some female nurses I wouldn't let touch me with a 10 foot pole.

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Yep.

I'm in OB and guess what? I'm either the celophane man (invisible) or a total pariah (not allowed in L/D, etc.). The only place that is reasonably good is the NICU. It's me and two other guys in the group. The instructor, thank goodness, is very kind and understanding. She said: "you know what guys: just try to get through, I'll make it as smooth as possible for you. OB is not for male nurses, we all know that...just hang in there"!

Good luck to you.!.

She might be nice, but that's a sexist thing to say. You have every right to go into OB if you so desire. You will be a RN same as the rest of us. It should be your choice.

I do believe preceptors are part of the problem here as their approach of the patient that will set the tone. I've read that some say, "You don't want a male student, right" which will usually have the patient agree with them. They could say, "This is Mike. He will be your student nurse today." If the patient has a problem they will say so. If they don't and the male student senses their discomfort they can remove themselves from the situation. It is all about professionalism and kindness.

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I start my OB rotation next week and I am not looking forward to it at all. It is a five week rotation and I am afraid it will be pure hell. I guess it is one of those things we all have to go through. Maybe I will feel different when my wife has her baby?

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Specializes in PCU/Hospice/Oncology.

My L&D experience was amazing. Yes I had nurses even being cold to me simply because I was a male invading thier unit. But if i got placed with such a nurse I simply told the CN that I needed to be reassigned to someone willing to teach me.

And I was.

The nurses were amazing to me because they saw I was there to learn. Even if the patient refused to have me in the room during birth or more intimate care, they still allowed me to monitor the FHR and do other care for them.

In the end I saw two C-Secs and 1 lady partsl delivery in my rotation, and learned so much more about Pre-partum and post partum!

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