postpartum orientation

I remember getting two days of classes and five days of orientation on an ante and post partum floor. It was a really large unit and had 60 deliveries a week (and that was a slow week), one shift we had 18 deliveries and getting people beds was shall we say a challenge.

I wished that there had been more time spent on FHR and finding it. We had films and a two inch binder to read over.

The postpartum was OK as I'd already had kids and had vague memories of it all and how it applied.

I think the important thing is getting lots of hands on on the orientation by buddying with a nurse that wants you to learn with her, not one who sees you as an extra pair of hands to dump her work on so she can go on extra smoke breaks.

The paperwork on the unit was the worst thing for me. So, if possible bring down the chart pages or include them in the binder.

I remember getting two days of classes and five days of orientation on an ante and post partum floor. It was a really large unit and had 60 deliveries a week (and that was a slow week), one shift we had 18 deliveries and getting people beds was shall we say a challenge.

I wished that there had been more time spent on FHR and finding it. We had films and a two inch binder to read over.

The postpartum was OK as I'd already had kids and had vague memories of it all and how it applied.

I think the important thing is getting lots of hands on on the orientation by buddying with a nurse that wants you to learn with her, not one who sees you as an extra pair of hands to dump her work on so she can go on extra smoke breaks.

The paperwork on the unit was the worst thing for me. So, if possible bring down the chart pages or include them in the binder.

Fetal monitoring is a totally separate specialty and should NOT be undertaken by someone without experience. My point is that no new nurse (or new to ante/PP) should have anything to do with fetal monitoring.

As far as PP goes, I think it would be valuable to put some effort into what the nurses are doing for PP teaching so that ALL the moms are getting the same accurate information. I know everyone teaching differently, but it is important to make sure that ALL nurses are covering the same material with the same degree of accuracy.

Also, I would have to add that as a Lactation Consultant, I think it is VERY important to make sure that all nurses have a basic knowledge of the physiology of lactation and have basic skills to be able to help a new mother with initiating breastfeeding. It is often poorly done and them people like me spend a lot of time UNDOING the problems that were partially caused by poor teaching and information initially.

I agree about the breastfeeding, I am a Lactation Consultant also, I plan on having a section of the manual dedicated to breastfeeding. I also plan on having each nurse on our unit provided with a manual as patients are telling us they hear different things from different nurses. I think 2 days of classes would be sufficient. Thanks.

Fetal monitoring is a totally separate specialty and should NOT be undertaken by someone without experience. My point is that no new nurse (or new to ante/PP) should have anything to do with fetal monitoring.

As far as PP goes, I think it would be valuable to put some effort into what the nurses are doing for PP teaching so that ALL the moms are getting the same accurate information. I know everyone teaching differently, but it is important to make sure that ALL nurses are covering the same material with the same degree of accuracy.

Also, I would have to add that as a Lactation Consultant, I think it is VERY important to make sure that all nurses have a basic knowledge of the physiology of lactation and have basic skills to be able to help a new mother with initiating breastfeeding. It is often poorly done and them people like me spend a lot of time UNDOING the problems that were partially caused by poor teaching and information initially.