Diva7332

I've been in L&D since '06 and travelling since '07; I have just accepted a staff position in L&D. Apparently my orientation is 14-16 weeks (!!) The manager said it could possibly be dropped down to 12 weeks, but shoot, this seems like major overkill. The unit doesn't seem to be overly specialized or different from those I have worked in before. I think it will be a little annoying having someone over my shoulder for that long!

Thanks! Appreciate it!

Try the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto...a few friends I know work there (started as new grads too) and like it. Good luck!

Anyone ever travel to Cedars-Sinai in L&D? Just trying to get a feel as to what it's like. Thanks for the input!

I thought I'd just vent my situation; thanks for reading! I've been traveling for 3 years and have been wanting to get a staff position in the state where I have had most my traveling jobs. I finally got one today! However, in the meantime, I was also offered an amazing travel job with REALLY good pay. I can't have it both ways; the start date for the staff position is two weeks after the travel job start date. The manager at the staff position cannot wait for my travel position to end (rightly so) I have weighed the pros and cons but still am stuck-any advice is appreciated! Should I go for the $ or the stability of the staff job?!?

Thanks for reading! I am in need of some advice regarding my current situation. Without going into too much detail....I am currently on assignment with company "A" at hospital "A". I am also a Canadian with a TN visa, so anytime I switch employers, I need to get a new visa. I am pretty far from the boarder on this current assignment. SO....my current contract with hospital and company "A" is almost done. I am wanting to make a move to another, highly coveted hospital within the same state. A position came up at the hospital that my old company, company "B", claims they have an exclusive contract with (?) I have been wanting to get back with company "B" for a while now, and am jumping at the chance to get to the new hospital, hospital "B" (Hang in there!) They want someone right away. My earliest possible start date would be June 28th, since I need to finish up my current contract and head to the boarder (It'll be a two day trip...this is a remote assignment) AND move. Last Friday, company "B" told me I had the position for a start date of June 24 (a thursday, but whatever) I never heard from anyone at hospital "B", and thought that was funny, but was happy anyway. Last Monday, company B calls me and tells me that hospital B is not sure I can get my visa in time to start June 24th (it's just a matter of me walking through customs at the airport and filing paperwork) so they don't want to extend an offer until I have the visa in hand. Fair enough. Meanwhile, another hospital "C" in the same state has an ASAP need. I worked there for four back to back assignments last year; but really have a strong interest in not going back (politics, I felt unsafe with the staffing at times) and so company B is proposing the following: I go the boarder on this Tuesday, get a new Visa for the new company; start at hospital C for 4 weeks starting June 28th, and then get "put over" (the recruiter's words) to Hospital B after 4 weeks at hospital C. These hospitals are not affiliated at all. Recruiter says that once I have the green light from hospital B, I have it always (?) OKAY, thank you for reading, but this whole thing puts a really bad taste in my mouth! Or is it just me? I feel like company B is trying to lock me into something....I feel like they are going to get me to hospital C and then say hospital B has no current need for a traveller. ARG! I would love any insight!

I've been on assignment in Hilo for a total of almost 9 months; first I let my company find me housing, which was fine, but I knew they were paying almost triple what I would if I had of found my own. I found a place on craigslist....worked out pretty well. PM me if you need more info!

Thank you for the support! He was actually a hospitalist....I can see how being out of his comfort zone in OB was stressful. Next time I will stand up for myself; at least then I would be able to say my side without seeming like he "scared" me.

Just needing some love this morning: Got a labor patient last night; quickly got the picture that she was a "VIP"; SO a physician, has a doula, wants a private room post-partum, even though we are full. I was very accommodating; as I am with every patient, no matter who they are. They wished for a Bradly-like experience, which I got orders for (against our normal rountine) and made the best situation out of our outdated and limited resources. Things were going great; I felt I had a good rapport with them all. My style is very quiet and gentle and I felt like we were having a good night. Patient requested an epidural after much debate with her support persons. After wards, I attempted to place a Foley before shift change, and to examine her so I could give the doc an update, as is her rountine. The patient, though the whole shift, seemed super sensitive; to the tape on her IV to the EFM belts to the blankets on the bed. I know labor patients are hyper-aware, but it was pretty extreme. That being said, even though I talked her through the whole procedure, she screamed and jumped and sure enough; I put the Foley in the lady parts. Duh! I explained what happened and that we'd have to do it again, but I would let the next shift do it, so she would be more numb. They seemed okay with that. I apolgized, left the room to get another Foley kit handy and came back. The SO then procedued to berate me and say that I "poked" his wife twice, once during a vag exam and then during the Foley insertion and that I should be more careful as "women's urethra and lady parts are very distinct." All I could say is I was sorry. Maybe I have thin skin (okay, I really do!) but I have never felt so small. I know I am gentle and competent; I just am beating myself up. I know where he is coming from; it's so hard to see a loved one in pain. But....geez! In five years of nursing, I haven't felt so rotten. Talked to my boss after shift, and she really listened and made me feel better. Just another night......

Never thought about refusing to float.....I don't think that would go over very well!

Just can't stand it anymore and have to rant.... I work at a small community hospital in OB. Due to the size of our population, there are times where we are "dark" (no patients) on our unit. So, we are asked to float instead of being put on low census/on call. My problem is that I feel like we are totally being abused when we float! For example, the staff on Med-Surg will call us to do an admission (and I mean everything: assessment, vitals, orientation to floor ect) and they just sit at the RN's station! It drives me nuts. When I worked Med-Surg, I would have never delegated that task, especially to a float RN. I would want to do it myself, no matter how busy I was, since I am in charge of the care of that patient! The do the same thing in ER. The staff will sit at the station while the float RN triages. Am I the only one who finds this crazy? It's like having an ICU nurse come and monitor my labor patient, while I, who has been trained to care for a labor patient, sits at the station and eats snacks. I have never floated there when they are busy....in that case I would be more than happy to help. Did I mention that the rest of the hospital NEVER floats here when we are overrun? This is a small, well staffed hospital (pretty rare, I know) who seems to be very resistant to change. It seems all we can do in OB is dread the days we have to float, and complain to each other. It's been mentioned to management, but we've been told "that's the way it is." Thanks for reading!