allthingsbright

ASK ABOUT ORIENTATION! Seriously, as a new grad in L&D, you need AT LEAST 3-6 mos orientation to get off to a good start. I started L&D right out of school, have 6 yrs in, and love it but it is a very challenging specialty and different from any othe floor in the hospital. Good luck

plus, i always say in my childbirth classes that birth plans are like Christmas wish lists--you may or may not get everything you want on the list. that seems to lace the idea with some reality! ok, back to bed--

pt requesting "clitoral stimulation" from nurse during induction on birth plan=not gonna happen that said, most birth plans i am coming across lately have been okay--usually printed off the internet --and i wonder if pts even have any idea of what they are requesting! i just think pts are not educated enough coming into the process and have no idea what they are talking about in 75% of the cases. i'm a childbirth educator, BTW--so biased, here. excuse the lack of caps and punctuation--recovering from 3-in-a-row

"Meconium Happens" or "Mec Happens" :thankya:

It's love here--and it's pretty unconditional on my part. It has to be! Nursing is HARD!

SO SORRY! (hugs)

Here is the only info I found: from fheard Registered User Age: 33 Join Date: Sep 2008 Posts: 1 Mar 26, 2009, 01:54 PM Re: Average RN Salary New Grad '09 The current starting salary for 2009 at Yale is $27.50 for new grad nurses and $29.50 for perferred hire nurses, meaning you are currently work at Yale. The rate usually goes up $1.00 every year. Also if you are a new grad nurse you get a $1.00 increase after 6 months. HTH! Let us know if you find out anything. I havent found pay info on any of the CT hospitals other than this!

Well, I think that the act of "thinking about being too shallow" may just preclude you from being too shallow... That said, I don't think your reasons for wanting to go into nursing are going to keep you from burning out. Seriously, if you don't feel passionate about caring for people then I wouldn't recommend the emotionally, physically and intellectually challenging field of nursing. In the end, it won't be worth it to you. The money ain't that great, the nurses ain't that pretty, and the body fluids will always be in abundance. That said, you won't be alone in going into nursing for those reasons. If you do, I would suggest the ED, telemetry or cardiac cath. Oh, and I also believe the old school nurses who are eating their young are usually just burnt out--probably because they either went into nursing for the wrong reason or have since then lost their love for it. I haven't run into many of them because I think they've left the field... Best wishes!

I understand your frustration yet becoming a nurse won't solve all of life's problems, IMHO. I had many classmates that thjought getting a degree would make them happy only to find that nursing is hard work and a big sacrafice in itself. Plus there is something to be said for the work you do now in your home as a wifde and mom. I hope you get to fulfill your dream and I also hope you find some contentment with where you are now in life.

I also have a GED and am now working on an RN-Masters program. It took me a long time to grow up and realize the value of education. I have had to work very hard, remediate through math and I was well into my 30's before I graduated! Yet I am so proud of myself for working hard and getting myself through nursing school (I made all A's and B's). I have a 4.0 in my current program. :) If you want it bad enough and will work your butt off you can become a nurse. How bad do you want it, really? It will be a very challenging journey! And I agree, you do need to work on your writing and communication skills! It is very important that you can communicate with others effectively and I have had a difficult time reading your posts! Best wishes to you! :) (It sounds like you have dyslexia? I am hoping you have found some tutoring for people with this issue. I had a good friend in nursing school w/ dyslexia who made it through and is a great nurse today.)

6 weeks L&D orientation here in a teaching hospital w/ high risk patients--I did it and am doing it. Yup, it is hard, exciting and crazy. Plus it has been the most stressful thing ever. (I oriented for 6 mos first on antepartum and mom/baby to get organization down and it STILL was a huge leap to L&D). I circulate sections as well and am still learning every day. Been off orientation for 3 mos and things are going well. Best wishes--L&D is NOT for everyone and I would trust you instincts!

yeah, when i dont get to take my break or sit down for 13 hrs i have been known to grab a diet coke or some graham crackers and pnut butter on the run.

Hi-I know some nurses who work their L&D unit--it is slow but they seem to like it! Good luck!

Don't ya wish these nurses would read this thread and mend their ways? Like that will ever happen!!!

I stay up all night--do laundry, read, wach movies, work on my online class, sometimes make a late trip to 24-hr Walmart for groceries, etc. Fun.

Update: Thanks all for your feedback. Talked to my boss and had a choice between full time days and part time nights--took the PT night job so still dont have to pay for childcare (900/month), still make almost as much as days w/ night diff and picking up one extra shift a month @ time and 1/2, and can continue working on my BSN--all a good fit. Thanks for all the advice. I am so happy I reevaluated!

Been on nights for 9 months now! Ok, so I love the night crew, don't have a problem sleeping during the day, and like my job but... I am so out of whack with my family and friends. I just am not able to flip-flop very effectively so I find myself up all night on my days off. I guess my body is revolting against me or something. The worst thing is feeling so unproductive when I am off and up all night--like I can't get motivated to do anything. Plus I just graze in the kitchen out of boredom and not kowing when to eat. It is pretty lonely being up by myself and I am sick of TV and surfing the internet. I miss my family, friends, and the daylight. Thought about switching to days but that would incur a big pay cut plus childcare costs. Maybe it would be worth it?? I dunno. I'm tired of feeling like this! Any ideas?????

I'm in UMKC's RN-BSN online program right now and love it. It is very doable w/ my full time work schedule! Good luck!

WE aren't allowed to work 5 days in a row at my hospital as they deem it "unsafe." I would think hard before commiting to that kind of lifestyle! Best wishes.

I'm in the midwest--I've been a nurse since Dec 2007. Almost 8 mos in and I make 21.61 base plus 3.50 night diff and 1.25 weekends. So I am usually a little over $25/hr for weekday nights. Taxes take a lot out though! Best wishes.

Wow, you should really follow up on this--I am shocked that this baby's condition would be so neglected. You should really voice your concerns and document somewhere that you did so. That temp is not compatible w/ life, and that baby should have been hospitalized and put in an incubator until stabilized.

Dude--these docs jost dont get it sometimes--do they??? Your post made me laugh--I am at a teaching hospital and we have had many babies come out in the bed on us. Labor just CANNOT be predicted!!! And we can never tell beforehand how effective of a pusher mom can be. The above poster was right--if docs want to make sure they are there, they shouldnt leave the bedside. You did great--scary for you, I bet, but you are a wonderful nurse. No reason to feel bad, IMHO!!!!!!!!!!!

Thanks for the ideas! :)

Hey guys--I am an associate degree nurse working on my BSN. Just wondering how hard it is to get a job in New York City and surrounding areas w/ an associate degree? I work L&D, Postpartum and antepartum and can circulate in the OR during a c-section. What do you think?

I got into school w/ just barely the miniumum 2.5--it was God, I believe. Granted my low grades were from the 1st time I went to college and I raised my grades to all As and Bs in my prereqs and nursing school. Good luck, it can be done. Work hard!!!!