OBNurseInFL

Hello everyone - I'm a 50 yr. old certified L&D nurse who's been working mostly in L&D since 1985. Before that I worked in med/surg while finishing my BSN and in step-down telemetry as a GRN. I've loved OB, and have done all the risk-levels involved (well, not pregnant patients on vents but certainly a load of critically ill moms!). I've also done a bit more med/surg as a traveler, a short stint as an RN Clinical Site Coordinator for a research project, and as a call center nurse (off-site) for the CDC. Now, I would like to ease myself out of the L&D scene and the call I feel is from the ER side of the house. There is only one hospital in the city in which I work that offers an ER nurse internship. I've worked in their L&D and it was a really bad place to be! So, I've been looking on the internet for places that offer these. I would like your opinions on whether you think I might be too out of touch with other specialties to consider this, and if you believe that most places want to offer internships to younger nurses &/or only graduate RN's. I just know that I definitely need a change, and this is what I am leaning towards. Thanks for your time & a great rest of 2009 to all! KC / almost burned out!

I think it is quite predominant in nursing to have these dangerous people. But I know as well it is found in other career fields such as law enforcement, military, etc. Seems it is wherever people are in a position to have power over another, or to care for others. I've been a patient very often, as well, so it's scary to see it from the other side. Really makes me be even more vigilant about my own care-giving!

I've been an RN since 1982, and in OB since 1985, and certainly have seen my share of dangerous nurses (AND docs). I had a horrid incident with one in 1993, as well, who pulled the race card :angryfire when she was written up & turned in for sleeping on the job. She would also take those 1-2 hour lunch "breaks" and hang the wrong IV fluids, etc. Loads of errors, but when we finally made someone face the situation, I was terribly harassed afterwards and it was a truly miserable work situation. But then this was a place where our department head would start each staff meeting with "just remember, all of you can be replaced." I often wonder why on earth I stayed there for 5 years. :smackingf Most recently I've worked in a military hospital. One RN that I lately worked with is dangerous, personally & professionally. He seems to believe he's smarter than anyone else, although he's only been an RN since 2004 and only has about 3.5 yrs exp. in L&D (which is in a unit only doing about 50 deliveries a month & very low high-risk population). When working nights, he would either not bother to come in 'til about 5 a.m. or would disappear with hours, and the other RN's he was working with let him get away with it. He spouted off a lot of ugliness about his wife at work, in front of everyone, and is still carrying on an affair with someone else who is active duty there (and she's also married). One of those guys who is your 'best friend' until you call him on the carpet. :argue: He's out of the military now, but both of them actually teach at a local junior college, as OB Clinical instructors. I can't believe it! Between them they have less than 6 years experience as RN's & maternal/child RN's PERIOD! It's a total disgrace. But I've found that charisma and B*S win over a lot of people, and you don't even have to know your field apparently. Sickening. :barf01:

Hi, SBE - I've searched & searched the AWHONN homepage but cannot find the position statements that CLEARLY define what they consider to be appropriate staffing levels for L&D. I work in a small military facility, and our new CNS thought that it was just fine & within AWHONN/AACOG standards for me to labor an AMA grand multip with hx of multiple DVTS & PE's who had been off lovenox for less than 24 hours (being induced) AND a preterm induction for mild pre-eclampsia on pit & MGSO4. I can't believe that's considered SAFE! I just can't find anything to back up my opinion. Do you have any links to the actual pages or PDF's from AWHONN that are very clear-cut on this sort of thing? THANKS! I've been an L&D nurse since 1985 and I have loads of common sense, which apparently doesn't always match up with what the higher-echelon dictates... ahhh, well! Thanks for your time! KC

Hi, Adam - I am going to do your survey; I see it's still active on Google. I have a question about how you made the survey. I've gone to Google documents but I am unsure how you made this survey. It's GREAT! I ask because I have been working on a book about nursing since 2003 and I think that having an online survey would be a huge asset to my finishing this thing. Thanks so much, Katie

Hello from Sunny Florida! I'm Kate, been an RN for 24 years, have been in inpatient OB (labour & delivery) for 20 of those. Also have worked ER, med/surg, stepdown telemetry, call centre, and insurance review jobs. Anyway, I'm completing NCM certification as I really want to make a go of going to UK to live & work. I'm a cancer survivor twice over & feel a huge need to do something big & new in my life. I've done some travel nursing around the states, have been licensed in Tennessee, Washington, Texas, North Carolina, and now Florida. Slowly but surely working on finishing my MSN in nursing education as well. Would love to cross train in ER, too. There still remain possibilities of UK recruitment, as I have read on some websites, but reading all of your posts does put a bit of a damp mood on some expectations. GOOD TO HAVE A REALITY CHECK though! As far as nursing in the USA? Well, I have worked in private, public, and military hospitals here. BY FAR the best bet is working in a military facility. I get the real feel of someone to back me up when things go bad, and there is a real chain of command for when you have docs who aren't playing nice. I absolutely got sick of the admin. attitude in big medical centers here (actually have had department head come into staff meetings saying "just remember, all of you can be replaced" - how's that for morale?!)... have seen no backup for when doctors curse at you or throw & break equipment, admin. that is vengeful and uses scheduling or sick time against people, etc. Dismal; I haven't run into those kinds of things in the military hospitals where I've worked. In case you are interested in working for one of those, here are some links to staffing companies who specialize in staffing military hospitals in the US: http://www.ohi-corp http://phyamericagov.com/ http://www.shrusa.com/ Also if you have certain qualifications you can directly apply for US government jobs here (go to search jobs, then click on "series search" at top of menu page, then enter 0610 - code for RN - and search!): http://www.usajobs.opm.gov/ Good luck to EVERYONE! even me... All for now, Kate in Pensacola

Hello from Sunny Florida! I've read your posts and certainly sounds a lot like sentiments concerning nursing shortage here in the USA. I've been an RN for over 24 years and have seen a lot of things happening in nursing in that time. Many things are cyclic, including nursing shortages and pay/benefit scales. I think that 1990's were some of the best times for nursing, but (as I believe in the tooth fairy, too, haha) I think nurses everywhere will be due for another GOOD cycle in about 5 years. I am also interested in working in the UK; I'm a labour & Delivery nurse but having a hard time finding out about that specialty other than midwifery there. Anyone have any info for me on it? I'm getting all my things together for NMC certification; boy what a process! Take care everyone, Kate in Pensacola