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I work in OB, so I constantly get "it must be so nice to rock babies all day"... Yeah right! I just smile and bite my tongue!

If you aren't interested... I would screen my calls.

I loved mine... feeling bad that I can't wear them now in OB... Maybe I need to find a scrub jacket with a holiday print! I say have fun and wear them!

I would probably go in and hope they sent me home... Hope you feel better soon.

My hospital and our sister facilities only hire RN's for L&D... I am in Ohio, don't know about the rest of the country. Here it is a very difficult specialty to enter into... Good luck! :)

1. Demographic information about the nurse you interviewed. Do not include nurse's name. You may use initials or the terms "interviewee" or "the nurse": Gender Age Ethnicity How long have you been a nurse? What educational preparation for nursing do you have? Do you have any specialty certifications? I am female, 34, white, and I have been a nurse for 2 1/2 years. I have an ADN along with NRP, ACLS, BLS and currently working on STABLE certification. 2.What type of setting (e.g., pediatrics, Intensive Care, community health, medical-surgical) do you practice in? What other type of settings have you practiced in? Which setting has been your favorite and why?I currently work in OB. Previously I worked med/surg/tele. Ob is my passion, I worked med/surg/tele for the experience then moved onto my dream job. And I still love going to work everyday! 3. Why did you become a nurse? I became a nurse because I like to figure out the answers to difficult questions. I mulitask well and I wanted a job where I could do many different things each day. I didn't want to sit at a desk and push papers. 4. What do you believe are the advantages to choosing a career in nursing? I don't think it's about advantages... if you love what you do, there will be advantages, but if you hate it... do something else. My personal advantages are: working 3 days a week and still being full time, scrubs (I hate dress clothes!), no day is ever the same as the last, and I feel like I make a difference. 5. What do you believe are the disadvantages to choosing a career in nursing? I work holidays, weekends and some evenings. I take call for my unit. It is highly stressful at times and I spend my day in blood, vomit and goodness knows what else... 6. How has nursing changed since you became a nurse? I don't get worked up about the small stuff. It takes a lot of blood to worry me... I am honest and to the point (no time to beat around the bush!). I go home every night and am thankful that my kids are healthy and happy! 7. What are your professional goals for the next five years? To become RNC in OB, complete my BSN. 8. What are the most important issues in the nursing profession right now? Health care reform... who knows what it's going to look like. The concern is that nurses will have more patients, less resources and less pay... 9. Describe an incident in your nursing career that made you question your decision to become a nurse. I don't question my decision. 10. Describe an incident in your nursing career that gave you the most professional and/or personal gratification. Back when I worked med/surg/tele. I had an elderly pt die. Which wasn't unusual or unexpected but his family all resided out of state, so I had spent several shifts on the phone keeping them updated on their dad's condition and it was very emotional. I ultimately had to call the son and tell him that his father had died... It was difficult in the moment but then I moved on to my pts... a few days later the son and his brother came to my hospital to personally thank me for being with their dad and for being so kind to them... I was touched that they took the time to come and find me, in the midst of a difficult time for their family. I never underestimate the impact that my actions may have on someone. And I can't think of that son without a tear in my eye... I hope this helps you! Best of luck!

I work as an OB RN. Mother/baby/labor/delivery and outpt. I LOVE it and can't imagine anything better!

My experience...No one askes for your paper copy anymore... I have always been verified online. And I believe that soon, they won't even issue paper copies anymore. When I renewed my license, I didn't get an updated copy. I don't think you need to worry about it! But you might guilt the hubby into dinner out of it :rotfl:

Thanks for the post. Just what I needed to get me back to work on my fifth day straight! I do believe in what I do, but somedays a little reminder is very much appreciated.:redbeathe

Thanks for the feedback. I wish we had the ability to have a dedicated OR staff, but that isn't happening anytime soon. Hmm... maybe I am just going to be disappointed but I really do hope to improve the relationship between our groups. I think I will offer to shadow in the OR and see if I can get someone to come back and shadow on L/D... Call me crazy but I hope that if I have a positive attitude it will rub off... I really appreciate everyones suggestions- I'll let you know how it goes.

I don't think I phrased my question appropriately. We aren't falling apart in a stat c/s... we do work well together. There is just a sense (on both sides of the table) that we function as two very seperate teams OR v OB and I would was looking for suggestions on how to make to very tight groups of nurses expand their teams to become one as we work together. I love that the OB nurse have a very close relationship with each other and it is also obvious that the OR nurses have a close working relationship and I would like to find a way to bridge the gap between the two groups. I am looking to improve morale between the groups more then a patient safety type issue... Maybe people would have some additional suggestions, now that I have clarified my question:rolleyes:

For those of you who work with an OR team (we don't scrub/circulate our sections) any suggestions on how to improve teamwork between the two units? I would like for both teams to come together during a section and feel supported by the other, and this isn't happening... I am new to OB and would love some feedback from experienced L&D nurses or OR nurses. I feel that one of the issues is just the different flow between a sceduled OR procedure and the unpredicable nature of unsceduled sections... but beyond that I don't know. Thanks for any suggestions, it is much appreciated!:redbeathe

I don't want to discourage you and maybe some OB nurses with more experience will have a different take on it... But I know my hospital and sister hospitals look for floor experience and critical care is a definate plus. I don't know if an office position would help.... Though OB office would be better than peds... maybe? Sorry I hope someone else can be more encouraging! Good luck on whatever you decide.

I would suggest that the pt. ask his doctor...

I would consider anyone with direct patient care a "bedside" nurse. Doesn't matter if it's in the OR, ER, Outpt, school nurse, etc.

I am required to have both ACLS and BLS. Plus NRP and stable... Never heard of a hospital that didn't require BLS... Interesting:rolleyes:

My first IUFD... couldn't help but have tears running down my face as I wheeled her out of the hospital. She was holding a stuffed animal crying... I just cried with her. I don't know if it's right or wrong, but it's who I am. I feel and I cry- just usually not in front of the patients.

Wow... I think it would be very difficult as a new grad to just be thrown out there. I would be very uncomfortable. Most new grads in a hospital get several weeks with a preceptor and then still have someone they can ask questions of... I would be very concerned. I hope it works out for you.

I am not sure where your located... but in my area you can only work as an ob contingent if you have years of ob experience. OB is such a different specialty that you spend at least 6 months just learning the ropes. Most facilities won't invest that in a contingent staff member. My guess would be once you have sometime on your current unit (like 2 years?) then you could try to get an OB job and work contingent in Emergency... Anyway that's just my thoughts. Good luck to you!:)

We keep one in the nursery and one in our nurses station. Both have plastic break-away locks. I wouldn't want to have to unlock my crash cart....

I am an ADN in OB. I did have a year of med/surg/tele prior to being hired. I would say where I work there are more BSN nurses but everyone has been so supportive of me and I have picked things up pretty quickly. I think it's more about being the right fit for the particular unit... jmho

1. Do you love, like or hate your job? Love it 2. What field of nursing are you in? OB 3. Are you FT, PT, PD? FT 32 hours/week 4. Do you look forward to going to work or dread it? I look forward to it. 5. What gives you the most job satisfaction? Making a difference for my patients. 6. On a scale of 0-10 (0 being least stressful, 10 being most stressful) how stressed does your job make you? Depends on the day. But when it's bad it way worse than a 10. 7. What causes you the most job stress? Mom's with no prenatal care, hx of drug use, bad strips, bad babies....Constantly changing acuity 8. What do you think could make your job better, so you get the most joy and satisfaction out of your work day? Hmm... perfect term labors with beautiful, healthy babies... and always getting my lunch break- LOL. I've got it pretty good- no complaints really. I do what I love!

We all wear the hospital scrubs... lovely green scrubs- ugh

LOL! loved it. I once had a pt rate her pain 10/10 and my doc said "if I cut your arm off with a chainsaw and beat you over the head with it- that would be a 10. Do you still think it's a ten?" Pt says well maybe just a 9! She got her epidural! No complaint either, the husband thought it was funny :/

Both hospitals I have worked at require insulin to be double checked and signed prior to giving.... And when I worked med/surg that was a pretty common order with my docs. Thankfully it all turned out okay and you learned something...