Bibi-OBRN

Thanks for your reply nurseob7. Yes, we do have techs in L&D but they are not allowed to put pts on the monitors. The surgical techs set up delivery tables, stock L&D rooms, help be a second pair of hands during delivery and of coorifice they are busy when we do CS's. They don't go to postpartum at all. We do not use CNA's in L&D. They are used on postpartum only. They get Mom's vitals and help out there. They do not do babies vitals though. I did talk to someone who does are statistics today and they said we did just over 2400 deliveries at the end of 2006 and we are full everday and lately we have to overflow to Peds because our postpartum is full. My old unit did around 4000 deliveries a year and it was just so much nicer to have separate units. I guess I just prefer that.

In Maryland we use "complete" "rim" "BUFA" "cytotec" and of course the occasional "granola"

I would love to hear feedback on whether your L&D unit is separate or are you required to to work all areas of the birthplace, ie postpartum and nursery in additon to L&D and circulate CS's and OB recovery. I work on a unit where we are required to work everywhere and most of us have our favorite area and would prefer if they separated the units into 1. L&D, circulating and OB recovery and 2. Postpartum and Newborn Nursery. We can't keep people because everyone is overwhelmed at all the areas they have to know. Many new grads we hire end up quitting because it is too much for them to absorb. I used to work at a facility that L&D is separate and that worked much better. I think staff would be much happier working in the area they like instead of being pulled all around. We do about 180-210 births a month on a 9 bed L&D unit and have a 28 bed postpartum and level 2 NICU. We do our own CS's and recover them. Our manager says we don't do enough deliveries to justify splitting the unit. Let me know how big your units are and if they are separate or you must work everywhere in Mother Baby. I would appreciate it.

We have no option, if it's your pt. and the CNA is busy you will assist when the DR. is ready. All use the sweetease (which I don't think does anything) and about half use lidocaine.

At my hospital the entire L&D, postpartum, nursery and NICU where the same scrubs and get them form a valet machine and return them at the end of the shift. The other hospital I used to work at did the same. I think it is for security reasons. The entire mother-baby unit looks the same versus other hospital staff.

Congratulations Bran! As an RN who also went straight to L&D after college, the most important thing I can say is to give your self time to feel comfortable. There were many times in the beginning I felt soooo overwhelmed I wondered why I ever wanted to go into this field in the first place. It honestly takes about 1 year of working in this area continuously to feel like your getting it. Best of luck and hang in there!