OB Rotations

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I've got OB/Peds this fall, and I'd like to know what some of you had to during your OB rotations. What else is typically required during OB? For example, are you forced to rotate through the nursery, etc?

I'll have that along with community and public health as well as issues and trends in healthcare and nursing.

Exciting semester. :uhoh3:

Not sure if you have already gotten the answer you want :), but I just did my OB rotation last year.

In my OB rotation, I had one day in labor & delivery (so you'll probably see a live birth and a C-section... it's really a lot of observation. You'll probably also observe the contractions and check the baby's health once born. And of course, vitals). I had three days in post-partum -- it probably depends on your school whether or not you have to rotate through the nursery. Regardless, you'll probably end up there for at least a little bit. The babies who are just born go there, as well as the ones who are too cold or need to be circumcised, etc. It's a pretty chill place for the most part. Again, mostly observation, but you can learn a lot. The moms... you'll have to assess them. My profs gave me a great assessment tool -- BUBBLE: breasts, uterus, bladder, bowel, lochia, & episiotomy. You'll learn more about what these things mean but it's a great way to remember all the bases. :) You'll take vitals on mom & baby and you definitely want to get mom up to walk around. All in all, postpartum is a lot more chill than med/surg. I enjoyed it. If you get to go to the NICU, that's pretty intense. It's another great learning experience.

By the way, I feel like I sense a little bit of uneasiness... :) Just to encourage you, I have a guy friend in my class and I asked him how he felt about being with the childbirth and stuff... he said it was no big deal, it was like he just transitioned into "nurse mode" and it didn't freak him out. Good luck! It'll be great! Just stay positive and soak up as much info as you can.

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Was not thrilled about OB rotation. It was mostly observation and a lot of teaching. However, I did enjoy special care nursery. I hope you find some enjoyment out of this rotation.

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I have OB rotation this summer. I'm working on some pre-clinical case studies and a med worksheet now that our teacher advised we have done my the first day of class...which is Monday. :uhoh3: One of my classmates who has already went through the OB rotation said that the rotation was pretty easy for a nursing course, although the nurses at the hospital were rude. I'm pretty sure that's the hospital I'll be going to.

Learning this is like starting to learn nursing all over again. I just got Med/Surg down. I wish there was a way I could just skip OB and Peds. Pregnant women and kids aren't my thing.

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Specializes in L&D/Maternity nursing.
and lots of the new moms said NO WAY to a male nursing student.

which is kinda silly considering the fact that they are okay with male OBs all up in their lady parts, eh?

I always found that argument by patients extremely ironic is all.

carry on.:p

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I wouldn't protest anyone saying no. Won't hurt my feelings.

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I just completed, what my school calls our "maternal/newborn" rotation. Our clinical groups were spread out over several hospitals, some of which had a NICU, others did not, some were small community hospitals, others were huge hospitals. My experience was at a small community hospital and I enjoyed it. We were 'required' to observe a lady partsl birth, perform a postpartum assessment and newborn assessment, obseve a CIRC, observe a c-section (if the opportunity came about), etc... The biggest thing to remember with OB, is that for the most part, you are dealing with healthy patient's so the time spent there may seem long and it can almost seem boring. But, when things start going, or you have one patient in labor, a postpartum Mom with a newbaby, etc... things can heat up and fast. It was very rewarding for me and I loved it. If there were not laboring pateints, we got postpartum patients, if they were scarce, sometimes a student was placed in the nursery. Several other clinical groups had time to spend in the NICU, but the hospital that I was at did not have one. Hope this helped!

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Some of you seem to have the mistaken impression that nothing goes on in OB that you really need to know... What happens when you have a pregnant patient on your non OB unit with complications? That "stuff" you plan to gloss over in your learning just might come in handy... OB has much to offer in a learning environment if you take the time to learn it. For your sake I really hope your comments are tounge in cheek otherwise I feel sorry for any future patients you might have.

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We rotated through Postpartum, L&D, Wellbaby and NICU. The instructor also tried to make sure we got to see both a Vag and C-section delevery. Got to do all sorts of skills. Loved it all especially NICU.

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In my experience as a L&D nurse, attitude goes a long way, in any unit. We can tell if you'd rather be else where. However, make the most of where you are currently.

Just as students want a co-assign nurse who is nice, co-assign nurses desire the same. If you are there to learn, act like you are interested. If you are there to assist, then assist. Behave as though you respect the nurse you are with. We can tell when you don't want to be in L&D. Report off to your nurse and (pt if necessary) when you go to lunch, come back and before you leave for the day.

In some nursing schools your instructors let you get away with being an absent student nurse. However, your co-assign nurse will report back to your instructor about you.

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For what it's worth, I am THRILLED to be in my OB rotation!

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Specializes in ER paramedic.

I've been a Paramedic for 11 years and have not had to deliver a baby, although I think I would like to. It's probably a good thing since during my OB rotation (8 hours) in medic training none of the patients would allow a male student to observe their delivery (there were 4 that shift 2 lady partsl ans 2 c-sections). My clinical group consisted of myself and 9 female students. They all agreed, before letting me or our instructor know) that I would have the oppertunity to attend every delivery until I got to observe one. They were a great group to work with. I ws allowed to onserve the first delivery of our rotation. When it came time for post-partum care, the patients husband would not allow me to participate in his wife's care. I loved the nursery! No body cared what gender I was. I did have to develop a teaching plan for a new mother who was breast feeding, kinda of awkward but the patient was understanding and it went well. Every rotation is what you make of it, if you don't put the effort into it you won't get anything out of it. One other piece of advice...suck it up and get your hands dirty someone is watching and knows what is going on, it will make you a better care giver in the end!

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Massage that fundus son.

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