Postpartum Nurses-Love it or hate it?

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Hi

I recently accepted a position on a postpartum unit. I originally applied for L&D because I have always wanted to work there but the unit was filled. One of the nurses on my floor suggest that maybe I should start in postpartum to get my feet wet since this is a totally different area.

I just see some comments from nurses who have worked on a postpartum unit, as to whether they like it or not and why.

Specializes in Med-Surg, OB/GYN, L/D, NBN.
I am putting in for a transfer to PP as well. I have worked ICU and am in the flex pool now. I am tired of staph tb, poop, 7 patients at a time, and getting yelled at by all the rednecks. I know I may still get yelled at but the patients have got to smell better than my current patients.[/quote']

Not necessarily...LOL! Moderate lochia on top of several days without a good bath can smell pretty badly.:uhoh3:

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Specializes in Med-Surg, OB/GYN, L/D, NBN.
I hate to be so ignorant, but a lot of times when you folks post initials I don't know what you mean.

For example, what is LDRP?

Labor/Delivery/Recovery/Post-Partum

Means that the mom stays in one room through the entire stay--coming in, laboring, delivering the baby, recovering from the birth and then her postpartum stay. By far, IMO, the best way to have it organized. Most hospitals, like mine, only have LDR suites and then the mom is moved out on the Postpartum unit for the remainder of the stay.

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Specializes in Med-Surg, OB/GYN, L/D, NBN.

I work on a postpartum unit and LOVE IT! Wouldn't transfer anywhere else in the hospital. I also work in L/D and NBN but, by far, I enjoy postpartum the most. The ONLY thing about my unit is that we get ALOT of Med-Surg overflow... Most of the time we won't even have 50% postpartum patients on the floor (we only have 16 rooms). Also, the turnover rate is so high! Even with the c sections they go home in 3 days if everything goes ok. On a vag delivery they will go home in 2 days if no complications.

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For the most part, I am happy with postpartum. I kind of wish I had just postpartum patients so that I can do all the good teaching stuff but in my facility, they throw in lap choles, non-infectious med/surg overflow, breast surgeries, GYN surgeries, stable antepartum patients, the occasional tonsillectomy patient, and the occasional transfusion patient (pts with CA that get outpatient transfusions). With all this other stuff going on, it's hard to do the postpartum stuff as well as you ought to, but in my case it's the facility that causes that problem.

But, my facility is about to undergo a major transition due to change in ownership, so I'm sticking around to see how things change (as opposed to working in a larger hospital up the road -- we are a rural facility). :rolleyes:

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Specializes in med surg, school nursing.

Can I just say how much I have enjoyed reading this thread! I just finished my 1st year of an ADN program and am currently applying for a CNA position on the PP floor. I CAN'T WAIT! I have four young children and loved my experience in the hospital. My goal is to work as a CNA, get my RN license next May, and slip into the next available RN position on the PP floor where I will hopefully work my entire nursing career.

Ultimately, I want to sit for the IBCLC exam, but need extensive hours teaching/counseling new moms and babies w/breastfeeding.

I am so excited!

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Hello everyone, nice thread by the way...Well, I have always loved labor and delivery and babies. I am currently in nursing school (BSN program) and I keep hearing that LD nurses don't really get much respect like lets say ICU or ED nurses. ICU and ED have to use their skills more than LD nurses. I was dissapointed when I heard this becuase I really love LD and wanted a career in it. My question is, is this true? Do you get to use those patho skills in LD? Is there opportunity to move up, for instance if you go to grad school, etc. Would love your input.

Thank you,

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Specializes in LDRP, OR, well NB.

Cammy...I did L&D for 17 years, and for the first 15 of it HATED PP. The last 2 years I worked on an LDRP unit, and found that I really enjoyed the nights I did PP. I guess I was getting tired of the pace of L&D. By the time I left that unit 1 year ago, I was almost exclusively doing PP, by my own choice. I'm not working right now, but if I go back, it will be to NBN or PP, not L&D, unless it is another LDRP unit.:caduceus:

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Specializes in LDRP, OR, well NB.
Hi everyone,

I have just had my second child on March 29th and I absolutely have to say I think I would really like to be Postpartum nurse! Unfortunately, I don't see many jobs for this in my area.

Do you think a person could be a good postpartum nurse with Geriatric experience???

Thanks!

Absolutely!

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Specializes in LDRP, OR, well NB.
Hello, I am a student and would LOVE to work in this area of nursing also.

I have a question....Do Labor and Delivery nurses make more than PP nurses?

Thanks

In my experience, all new grads make pretty much the same thing when they are first hired. Some places I have worked pay L&D RN's more, as a critical care specialty, but that's few and far between.

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