preparation for new job

[sourapril]

My new job at mom/baby unit will start in Jan. 2011. In the mean time, is there anything I can do to prepare myself for the job? They will give me a month-long orientation when I start, but I just want to be more prepared. Thanks!

[yousoldtheworld]

The best thing you can do is relax! Buy yourself some nice clicky-top pens (when you work in healthcare, clicky top pens are like gold), pamper yourself a little, and don't let yourself get too anxious.

When I was about to start my first aide job, I was so stressed about it that I felt I needed to practice all of my skills constantly. It was not necessary. Every facility or unit does things really differently, and you will learn what you need to know in your training. Especially since it's a mother/baby unit - you won't have nearly as much, if any, lifting (well...except for the babies, of course) and far less dressing and adult incontinence. If anything, just make sure you are comfortable taking vital signs. At my hospital, each aide had to get each of their patients' vital signs every shift.

When I worked at the hospital, I sometimes floated to the mother/baby unit and the biggest challenge was just dealing with anxious, nervous, recovering new moms. :) It's a great unit to work on. Congrats and enjoy it!