lgowan

I, like OBNurse3, have always said I am a lucky person in that I can witness miracles everyday in my job! Even the saddest situations are rewarding. On any given day, I work in the happiest place in the hospital or the very saddest. But none the less rewarding!

I went to Wallace Community College in Dothan AL. That is also where my daughter is going. I wish I had an answer to the shortage, however we seem to be so far behind the payscale in Alabama that more and more nurses are taking on traveling for the higher pay. I too am considering this. I also believe if we united (yes some type of union) in the South, we might see a turnabout. Unfortunately, the state nursing association tries to promote the "art" of nursing more than the financial aspect, hence why I am not a member of our state nurses association! Until the public sees nursing as a profession, and not a glorified servitude position, the shortage will continue. There was a HUGE shortage when I graduated (OMG! 16 YEARS AGO), but it has continuously gotten worse. The pay has increased some, but not in proportion to the duties they keep "allowing" us to perform. Lisa

What specialty are you in? The hospital I work at as a perm is taking some travelers as well as working with contractors. Troy Regional Medical Center. Troy is a college town about 40 miles south of Montgomery and 2 hours from Panama City Beach. I live 25 miles south of Troy and not many other hospitals are doing this. I think Baptist in Montgomery is working with contractors for specific needs. Troy's number is 334-670-5000. I know OB has 2 contractors, 1 who worked travel too. Call and talk to Jennifer Ventriss, CNO. Lisa

I passed my NCLEX after 75 questions........so happy! :balloons: Lisa

When I called the college that my daughter plans to attend, they told me #1) there is a waiting list, however it is not first come-first served. They do favor higher GPA's. 2) she has to take 3 general study classes before they will even consider (biology, A&P 1, psychology) ;and 3) there is a shortage not only of nurses, but nursing instructors. I was RECRUITED my alma mater to go through their BSN program because "there is a shortage of nursing instructors". They want us back for their BSN-MSN program so we will come teach! Here is some food for thought! The average graduate can get 1 year of hospital experience and go traveling making >$75,000 a year (with an ASN)! The average nursing instructor has a MSN or PhD and makes $45,000-$60,000. Why bother? It is a viscious little food chain, and pretty soon the major link of instructor is going to be extinct, thus causing an even greater nursing shortage! Just FYI! Lisa

PaleSarah really summed it up well to only be out of school and in this area for a year! Good Job! I think Ob is similar to ER in that it is sometimes an emergency situation. (i.e. prom, abruption, etc.) I think ER nurses do well in OB, as we have several OB nurses that moonlight as ER nurses, and vice versa. The adrenaline rush, and the uncertainty of what is coming through the doors makes for an interesting job in any arena. OB and ER do have this in common. The differences? Well, an ER is generally staffed with nurses despite having patients or not, they also have a doctor in house. OB? Some hospitals even small ones have 2 in house and sometimes float to other areas, and there is not always a doctor in house. I have often said L&D is like the emergency room for pregnant women, and in essence I guess it is. Just my 2 cents! Lisa

Does your protocol include checking every baby, or just jittery, LGA, or SGA babies? There is no need to even check a sugar unless it is justified. In our unit, we will check if jittery, LGA, or SGA (according to Dubowitz). If below 40, we recheck a lab glucose. A sugar is done an hour later, and then 2 more times just before feedings. However, we are even rethinking our policy because the peds are complaining about the mincemeat heels and undue pain. Lisa The peds normally even give the breastfeeding baby 24-36 hours before they start panicking about low sugars. Especially c-section or nuchal babies, since they tend to be poorer feeders anyway even on the bottle.

Sarah, check the Florida licensing for midwives. I think they are one of the few who have direct entry midwives practice. This is something I checked into when I started back to school. I still think you have to sit for the exam from the certification board though. Youu should have no problems. Lisa

We do push our moms without the doc there. It is kind of a judgement call according to her cervix and station. If they are a gravida 5, we don't push. We just get the catcher's mit and call the doc! I have delivered many babies. It's scary at first, but fortunately, the ones that normally precip are fine anyway, with the exception of an occasional tight nuchal. Done that too! Babies did fine. I have realized it is not the delivery so much that scares me as it is the afterward, when there is a bad baby. Luckily, in a small unit we are all trained in Nursery, NRP, and can rescuscitate and stabilize a bad one for transport to a NICU hospital. We had three last week. (WE average 30 total deliveries a month). Lisa

Fortunately, the any time algebra is needed in nursing is figuring out drug concentrations. Yes you will need some knowledge of algebra, such as cross multiplication, solving 2x=y, x/4=y, etc. Mostly ratio and proportion. Most of the emergency drugs and drip rates are calculated beforehand with simple formulas already written out. But, most importantly, DO NOT PANIC NOW. You obviously have the desire, and a computer. As a homeschool mother of 2 teenage boys (15 and 16 y/o), who are taking algebra, I can tell you it is not a lost cause. There are all sorts of math helps on the internet. Go http://www.sosmath.com, http://www.boxermath.com (free 2 week trial), or just put algebra into your search engine. We are struggling through just fine. It has been >20 years since I took algebra, and I am re-learning it. Don't worry! Just stay focused on your goal. Decide on what you want to do, the obstacles will clear with your persistance! Good Luck! Lisa

It is not an easy situation, and yes I think to start with I shied away from it. However, as I often say,"I work in the happiest or the saddest place in the hospital on any given day." Both situations can be equally rewarding for the nurse. I do encourage the parents to see and hold the baby, however, I respect their feelings. We do provide bereavement packages for the parents including pictures and momentos. That way, they can go through the memories when they are ready. Lisa

12 year old for me too! It was sad, but I have to say she was one of my best patients. That was over a year ago, and I wonder about her a lot.

Thank you ever so much for all your advice. I'm doing better but have had some embarrassing moments myself since I posted this thread. One I thought the pt was 10 with a posterior rim---it was the baby's EYEBROW!!!! LOL Doc came in just in time to catch! I'm having a blast! The doc's are even requesting me over nurses that have been there longer than me! I'm also learning to love newborn nursery. Although my NRP cert date was 9/11/01 and interupted by dispairing news. Had a difficult time concentrating after one of the instructor's got called out d/t her parents being in NYC headed for WTC at that very moment. Luckily they are fine. They rode by WTC moments before it occurred and had to return to hotel for the guide who-thank God- was running late! They wound up 5 blocks away when it happened. Anyway, back to the subject-... Thanks for all your help and encouragement. I've come a long way in just 3 months! I have also taken on the depressing task of bereavement nurse, so keep me in your prayers and thoughts! Lisa :)

This is scary but unfortunately true. I graduated 14 years ago and we did a LOT of skills in the hospital. However, I am noticing the difference in the graduates now from the same school. My instructors used to literally pull the student in the room to perform skills. Then again, assertiveness on the student's part also plays a role. If the student is not assertive she/he may skate thru only doing the dummies. (NO PUN INTENDED!) On the other hand, I jumped in every chance I got to try a skill and still didn't feel adequately prepared. Let's face it, school provides the basics, and OJT is a reality in any field. Sad but true! Let's help these students and pull them in a room, if their instructor won't. They are practicing under their instructor's license not ours. (Don't forget to grab instructor too!) My .02, Lisa

Been doing it for years, no problems here.