Peds/OB clinicals coming soon...

[Lindsey_RN]

i will be starting my third quarter of nursing school next week. our focus this quarter is on pediatrics and obstetrics. i will have a five week rotation in the birthing/labor center and another five weeks in a pediatric clinic.

i don't have any children and have very limited experience with new mothers. do you have any suggestions for dealing with laboring women?? i'd love some insider information.

i am looking forward to this area, but i find caring for children daunting, more so than older clients. i know i must be extremely careful and i will probably second guess myself constantly. i love kids, but how will it be caring for those who are sick?

any advice will help. thanks so much.

[AuntieRN]

I actually enjoyed my rotations in OB and Peds. I did not think I would. Peds was fun because we got to play. You play with kids when you are taking care of them. Everything is pretty much made into a game depending on the childs age and diagnosis.

Now OB...well...I learned you do a lot of teaching to new moms. You teach them about everything from how to massage their fundus to what to do for engorged breasts to how to do personal hygeine. I had a harder time with OB because I was used to caring for sick people and pts on OB are not sick. I was fortunate (well in my opinion anyways because I did not want to see it) that the day I was in L&D noone delivered. I spent time in the newborn nursery that was fun. Good luck in both of your rotations.