JentheOBRN

Please see my post right above yours for my story :) The best way I found was to do my preceptorship in OB in my last quarter. Some are called senior preceptorship. If you are really focused, and bug the heck out of the professor that assigns them, you might get one! That will help you get on your way. Also work on your NRP and breastfeeding classes and Basic Fetal Monitoring through AWOHNN, they are all a huge plus when looking for jobs. Anything a hospital doesn't have to train you for puts you ahead of the pack. Good luck! Jen

OMG that is too true!!! I am seeing soooo many tattoos and piercings as well as the "shaved look." I really don't care....but its got to be better than the women who never shave anywhere ever (as is their right of course) and I have to trek in there to do peri-care on a fresh section :) I just love listening to the moans and groans of those that have multiple tattoos and piercings when they find out they have to get an IV started....I give them a lot of teasing when they do....I'm a mean nurse..... Jen

They were talking about "mer-conium" on D-HC the other day I was totally yelling at the TV! LMAO Oh yea and that every baby "could die" allll the dad gum time! Whew I was mad....and laughing... Jen

Hi there! All of you out there with your RNC or anyone else thinking about doing it, I have a question... Which one should I go for....Inpt OB, Maternal/Nwbn, Low-risk NB, NICN? Thanks! Jen

I am a new grad too! Please see our posts in the new-grad sticky at the beginning of the board. We talk about all this alllll the time :) Good luck! Jen

Hi! As a new grad myself, and even with several years as a doula, I still had to move to a small town to get started in OB. I'm from the Bay Area and had to move away from there to get a job in Mother/Baby. Now after a year I will be moving to L&D in the next few months for training. I strongly advise you to stay with hospital OB and not move to clinics. Clinics are great but prenatal care is not what we really care about when they get to us. You will learn more about pregnancy and conception but the whole birth process will elude you. You may have to move away from the urban SD or even LA areas to find a new-grad OB opportunity. I looked for 8 mos trying to be stubborn about finding a new-grad program or an entry level job. I finally took something that was a great fit! Even though I probably won't be here for more than another year or so, I will take this very valuable experience with me back to the Bay Area and will be in demand there! The other great thing is that I am in a 1 hospital county so we see EVERTHING! We do multiples, VLBW and demises regularly that I probably wouldn't have seen in a big hospital. So go outside your comfort zone and go for it!!!!! Take care and I am always here to offer advice :) Jen

As far as I know....its basically employee health. Prevention and LOADS of teaching!! You planning to go that route? Jen

We tag-team the preps for our scheduled C-Sections....when 2 of us walk in together one of us will almost always say..."This is "Ms. Smith" she's from housekeeping, and she'll be putting in your IV...or foley...etc. The first timers look scared and the vets laugh their heads off!!! It really helps break the ice. Jennifer

Yes! I would suggest getting your AWOHNN FHM certs and your NRP. These put you ahead of the rest. Check in with the children's hospitals or the smaller hospitals in more outlying areas. Thats what I did, had to move 50 miles but I have the job of my dreams!!!! Good luck! Jen

Also try UCSan Francisco at http://nurseweb.ucsf.edu/www/spec-mwf.htm they have an ADN to CNM program that I will apply for. I graduated 2 years ago and am working in OB before I apply for CNM school. They like it if you have some OB experience. But its not mandatory.

I am a new OB RN and my mentor was a guy that had been in postpartum for more than 10 years. He had to leave recently r/t health problems. SOOOOO many of our return mommy's look for him. He had the most gentle hands and a huge heart for "his" babies. I am honored that he chose to mentor me. Yahoo for more guys going into OB we NEED you!!!!

same for me in central ca. i love my mexican mama's! i wish i knew more spanish.....

This is what our hospital uses. That and a PT interpreter that floats to all floors. I work nights so I try to request the interp. right away and get all my teaching etc. done at the start. Then I use the phones for the rest of the shift. We are not allowed to use any non-approved interp. because especially family members (like children) could be embarrased by some of the things we need to ask.... STD's, GBS, Drug use etc.

Don't know where you are but in CA our hospitals are crying for ER/ICU nurses!!!!

Just a suggestion (this is what I am doing myself) Learn LDRP first to know what is normal for a newborn, THEN go into the NICU. You can really tell when a baby is going "bad" if you know what a "good" baby looks like. Hope this helps :)