micmac

Oh, Kristin, that made my stomach hurt. I hate stuff like that...when they pull rank and humiliate you...especially in front of a pt. I have taken a provider aside and said, "We may have our differences, but please don't affect the relationship that I've established with the pt. by ruining her confidence in me!" Cervical exams can be soooo frustrating because it is so subjective. I like working at night because I don't have the providers mucking around in there so much. As far as I'm concerned, the numbers don't matter...as long as they are making progress. Good for you for sticking with it...those kinds of things can make or break one's self-confidence and even after 10 years I still have episodes that make me question my own judgment. A wise nurse once said to always trust my gut and I try to remember that all the time.

What a wonderful story...thank you so much for sharing it.

Gotta love those precips...we had a lady deliver while standing at the nurse's station fully clothed...the baby came out of the leg of her shorts and the OB had to jump up from the desk to catch it as it slithered out! The best is that JCAHO was making rounds THAT DAY and we had to clean up the mess pretty darn quick!

We had a patient walk in one day who had been contracting for awhile. Nurse J. took her to a triage room to change and leave a urine sample and went back to the nurse's station. A few minutes later, another nurse came up to her and said, "You'd better get down there...your patient just delivered in the toilet!". Nurse J. said, "Yeah, funny, haha..." and the other one said, "No, I'm serious!". The pt had no urge to push when she arrived, but when she sat on the toilet, guess what happened? Mom and baby were fine, but poor Nurse J. burst into tears!!!

Would love to hear some great birthing stories...funny, inspirational, memorable, you name it!

We had to fudge our exams a lot until the docs bought into the idea of laboring down...thank god they finally got what we had been doing all along!

What does purpsurfer mean? (sorry, guess I'm just an old gal!) I honestly think that everyone goes into L&D with a very idealistic notion of what it will be like (myself included, believe me!) and then your bubble bursts and real life happens. I realized after awhile that I couldn't always change bad situations, but I could at least be the patient advocate, the nurturer, the supporter... Make sure you have a great team behind you and some good support at home (or at least a good therapist!)...good luck!

I studied a book called Intrapartum Management Modules (can't find it right now to give you the author!)...I did this independently for a few months before the exam. I had been working in an LDRP community setting for 3 years when I took the exam. The test was challenging, but I felt like it was all stuff that I should know...so I was going to keep on studying if I failed it! But I passed with flying colors the first time around. I'm not a big believer in paying lots of money for a fancy course...your clinical experience and some good old fashioned studying ought to do the trick. Good luck!

I agree with above...I went straight to LDRP after school and never looked back! And that was 10 years ago (when I had to BEG to get into a specialty area without med/surg).

Thanks so much...it is very helpful to hear your thoughts. I get closer every day to filling out the application! :)

Anyone with experience working with or as a perinatal CNS? I am considering moving in this direction after working in L&D for 10 yrs. Don't want to be a CNM...to much call and liability. What are the jobs and roles like in practice? Is it worth the time, effort, and $$$? Any thoughts would be great.:redpinkhe

I work 2 12-hour nights, which has been great for me. My kids are 2, 3, and 7...I work 7P-7A, then take the little ones to daycare the next day. I sleep until the 7 yr old gets off the bus, and then we go get the little ones. I love this schedule...and I make extra $$$ at night. It's quieter, too...don't have to deal with all of the stuff that goes on during the day. I'm home if anyone gets sick or there's a snow day. I love working 12's because I'm only there 2 nights a week! Good luck...it's not easy, but you can do it.:redpinkhe