Other jobs with OB experience?

monkeybug · Sep 1, 2012

I've recently left my 15 years of L&D/Nicu for public health. I still work at the hospital per diem. I love my home visit job. I see women and infants from first or second trimester through the child's second birthday. It's very rewarding, and the stress level is much lower. I do tend to take it home with me more than the hospital job. I have a couple of clients in dire straits and I worry about them a lot in the middle of the night when I can't sleep. I thought I would miss the deliveries, but I'm in love with my new job.

Nurse ABC · Sep 2, 2012

That does sound neat! I'm not sure we have anything available like that around here but it does give me ideas to watch for. Thanks for sharing! I wish we had a NICU! The closest is a couple hours away.

monkeybug · Sep 3, 2012

I don't know where you are, but google Nurse Family Partnership and see if there are any near you. I did one year in NICU, and it absolutely sucked the life out of me. I hated inflicting pain on babies day after day. I also really, really took it personally when the parents refused to visit. When you have to threaten a mother with calling DHR and having her "check" taken away if she doesn't come see her baby, or at least call and check on the baby daily, it will make you want to punch a wall. I will never forget the night the CRNP told me that "my" baby probably wasn't going to make it through the night and to call the parents. I was an absolute basket case because I had poured my heart and soul into this child and truly loved it (I say 'it' because I don't want to reveal too many details). When I finally got the mom on the phone, she told me she didn't feel like coming out in the middle of the night, but to call her when it was "all over". I leaned over a linen hamper and sobbed, I did some "ugly crying" as Oprah used to put it. The CRNP just reminded me that the baby had been loved, by me, that it knew my voice and knew I cared for it. Talk about wanting to commit a felony. I'm usually a fairly nonviolent person, but that made me contemplate some vengeful acts.

Nurse ABC · Sep 3, 2012

Wow-maybe I'm glad we don't have any close NICU's!! That sounds rough! I'm glad that baby had you in it's last moments because at least you cared! I did google that and unfortunately nothing in the area but it gave me ideas of what to look for. Thanks!

im_an_honest_1 · Oct 15, 2012

I would LOVE a job in home health- perinatal area. I only have L & D experience, but love, love, love public health - especially the teaching aspect. How did you find a position like that? Any tips for someone in Tennessee to find a position like this?

LDRNMOMMY, BSN, RN · Oct 17, 2012

Are you wanting to stay in OB? My husband is in the military so we relocate every couple of years. With this past move, daycare hours, school transportation and my husbands work hours made L&D floor nursing not possible. I had 5 years of only L&D experience and I was very scared and intimidated of venturing out into a non-OB specialty. I put out roughly 30 applications to anything I was remotely qualified for: Pre-op holding, circulating in a surgical center, case management, a procedural nursing care unit (pre and post procedure care on patients receiving conscious sedation), out patient wound care clinic, fertility clinic. I interviewed for the procedural nursing care unit job and did not get it. I was offered the circulating job 20 minutes after I sent in my resume (naturally declined it, they clearly wanted a warm body). I received a couple of rejection letters and ultimately ended up where I am now. I work in an outpatient wound care clinic that does hyperbarics. I don't 100% love it, but I have pretty good hours and work with amazing people. It is definitely possible to branch out into other areas with only L&D experience. It's been kind of nice to brush up on some adult disease processes, but I am hoping to go back to L&D when we move next summer. Good luck to you.

rn4babies63 · Oct 23, 2012

I worked for Nurse Family Partnership for 7 years. I was an OB/L&D/Nursery nurse for 4 years prior to that and stayed casual at the hospital while working for NFP. I absolutely loved that job. Like monkeybug, I also took some things home with me. Unlike hospital nursing, you develop a relationship with these mothers. It also involves alot of teaching. It is very gratifying when you know you made a differance in a new mother's life.