haunani

You're exactly where you need to be after only 5 weeks. It takes at least a full year to not feel completely incompetent. It takes 5 years to feel confident. Notice that those say 'years'. Not weeks or months. Your level of anxiety is normal and healthy when learning a whole new specialty.

Has anyone applied here in the past? How long did it take before they contacted you for an interview? My application has said "Routed for further consideration" for about 6 weeks now. (not for a residency, but for a full-time position)

I remembered!! Kardex!!

I'm having a total and complete brain fart here. At some hospitals, they can print out a patient history/reason for admission type of sheet for each patient to give to the oncoming nurse. For the life of me, I can NOT remember what this thing is called? If it matters, the hospitals I've worked at that practiced this have both used Meditech.

My previous 2 hospitals, both with about 2400-2800 deliveries/year did NOT do them in-patient. They referred out to pediatric dentists for all cases, if they even agreed that it existed. My current hospital, a community hospital with about 300 deliveries/year, has a pediatrician that will do them while they're still inpatient.

Better then the pronunciation of "uh-bee-sity" ?

Through a job change, I moved from M/B (couplet care) to an LDRP. I'm just finishing up my orientation to the L&D aspect of it in the next couple weeks. Having the familiarity with some of the aspects has helped a lot, in my opinion. Yes, it is a very different type of nursing and your thought process will change, but like all types of nursing, it comes with experience. So far I'm pretty darned happy with my change. Of course, making the move in a busier hospital, like a dedicated L&D unit, my feelings might be different. The slower pace of the LDRP has allowed me to really absorb the experiences, ask questions, etc.

Postpartum for 6 years/L&D for 2 months: Largest set of multiples: Twins Longest overdue: 42 Youngest mother: 12 years Oldest mother: 52 years Grand multipara: G17 P17 (also a G19 P2) Biggest baby: 12lb 8oz Smallest baby: 1lb 2oz Biggest EBL: over 5L

The reason I ask is that we just got some education/training at work, and it included the following: ■ NEVER waste at the time of removal from the Pyxis machine ■ Wasting should always occur after the medication has been given (partially) to the patient I've never been told this or heard this before and was curious as to possibilities for why they stress this.

What is the reasoning for wasting meds AFTER administration and not before? Like, if I pull out 1mg Dilaudid, but I'm only going to give 0.5mg. It's probably something simple that's escaping me.

Really... it depends. Some facilities are super strict about NO visible tattoos, some are more lenient as long as they aren't offensive. Sometimes it's left up to the individual unit managers to decide if they'll allow it. I've heard of some psych units being more flexible with them as they provide a conversation point with the patients and can give the nurse a less authoritarian look to them, making the patients more comfortable with them.

This is the combo I used to study and easily pass my exam: Maternal Newborn and Low Risk Neonatal Nursing with Core Text (CCPR Study Workbook for Certification Review): The Center for Certification Preparation & Review: Amazon.com: Books

I can share how we do it here. When I first transferred in, we did it that same way you used to. Baby to nursery, admit done there, then returned to mom. Then we started down the baby-friendly path, and all care is done in-room. We had a rough start, but finally have it to a routine now. We have a patient-free charge RN (who can take up to 2 couplets if needed), floor RNs have 3-4 couplets each, and we have a 'procedure RN' (just a new name for Nursery RN) who handles the baby admits, circs, boarder babies, etc. While couplet RN is admitting mom, procedure RN admits baby. It rarely takes longer than 30 minutes max, and that was when we were still doing footprints (we do digital footprints now, which the birth registrars take care of). On days where we're either short staffed or just not busy, the charge RN will take on the procedure RN role. This happens most often on nights, which is my shift.

I know this one's probably been mentioned, but I'm just now starting Sons of Anarchy with my husband, and noticed how the premature baby went from a tiny, scrawny little thing to a nice, pink, plump newborn in just a few days, lol.

I'd be interested to hear how you two are liking St Peter. I'm looking into moving to the area in a couple years (gotta finish that BSN first!) and would like to know how other RNs like the hospital.