Kilika421

Thank you all so much! I still have my ATI book from the OB section so I'll definitely flip through that and brush up on the other specific things that are listed here. It's hard to think about it all because it will be my first nursing job of any kind, let alone OB. I graduated in May and passed NCLEX in June so I feel like that was light years away and hope I don't appear as though I don't know anything :/

Hi everyone! So last week I received a phone call that I was offered the position of full time nights in Mother/Baby :redbeathe I could not be happier because I just graduated in May, and since working in OB was always where I saw myself, I couldn't picture having to work in another area first. I'll have 4 weeks of precepting during the day shift, then 2 or 3 weeks of precepting during the night shift to get me adjusted since that is where I'll stay. I don't start for 3 weeks and now that I know I'll be in Mom/baby & newborn nursery I want to brush up on key information so that I don't look like a complete fool starting out. Not in any way trying to look like a know-it-all, just trying to be somewhat prepared. Any tips on things I should review? Thanks!

Thank you all so much! I'm getting some great ideas from all of your responses :)

Hi everyone, After graduating in May, and passing NCLEX in June, I finally got a call yesterday that I was offered a job! I am very excited and nervous about it. It's for an Obstetrics full time nights position, but this post doesn't have to revolve specifically around OB. what are some things that you all keep in your work locker for 'just in case' scenarios, everyday use, etc. I've ears things like chapstick, and a travel toothbrush/paste for when you have to work overtime. Any other suggestions? Thanks!

Hello, I graduated in May and passed boards in June. Since then I have been applying non stop, but living around a big city has proved to be quite the hiring challenge for a new graduate. I was lucky enough to land an interview for an OB full time nights position. The interview is Wednesday and I'm trying to compile a list of questions that I could be prepared to answer that are specific to OB (I have the usual strengths, weaknesses, why do you want to work here questions prepared). It is a panel interview of abut 6 people they said. If anyone can give any suggestions, I'd greatly appreciate it! Also, if anyone can think of any questions I should ask them (I'm not sure what a good number of questions to ask a potential employer typically is) that would be really helpful too. Thanks!

Thanks everyone! I will definitely look into doing this then! Is it something that is gonna take a few days or weeks of online work to complete or is it one of those courses that could potentially be completed in an 8 hour session at a computer? Just wondering so that I know how much time to set aside next week.

Hello everyone! I am a new grad who just passed NCLEX in June and recieved my IL license in the mail 2 weeks ago. Woo Hoo! I went into nursing because I love it and have always wanted to work in the OB area. I'm finding that applying for any OB job in the Chicagoland area is quite the feat. All seem to want 3 years experience. I really don't want to give up on this and just start applying to med-surg jobs, because my heart won't be fully in it and I am all about good patient care and wouldn't want my lack of "passion" for this area to jeopardize their care in any way. I'm looking for ways to boost my resume up and have been looking at the AWHONN Introduction to Fetal Heart Monitoring Online Course. Has anyone here taken this? Would it be beneficial to me? Any help would be GREATLY appreciated. Thanks:)

Thanks for all the postings and information :)

Yes I saw that but I have to have information that is at least 2008 or more recent. That is why I typed that I tried looking on search engines but couldn't find information that was really helpful.

Hi everyone, As part of a clinical, my group was all divided up to research certain roles of nursing (manager, discharge planner, director, manager, etc) and I was given the role of Patient Care Facilitator. I'm having trouble finding information about just what exactly this person is in charge of, what type of degree he/she needs, how much they make, etc. If anyone here can direct me to places that would have good information, I would greatly appreciate it. I've tried search engines, but nothing really comes up that I could use. Is there possibly another name for this type of role? Thanks so much! Kristen Also, I put this in the general discussion group because I wasn't sure where it would be better suited.

hi everyone, i've searched this site a lot and have found many other nursing students feeling the pressure to go into med/surg for a year or so straight out of school. i personally went into nursing because i knew that i wanted to work on a mom/baby unit. that was (and still is) my true goal. aside from my ob clinical, i was also in a class where only 10 students were picked (out of 64) and we all were able to choose an area that we'd like to spend more time in. i chose an ob floor and put this additional information on my resume hoping that that could show that i'm serious about wanting to work in this area. i wasn't, however, able to get an internship in this area like i'd hoped. i am wondering about the applying process though. most mom/baby, newborn nursery, & l&d areas of the hospitals i'm looking at all state something like, "minimum 2 years experience required". i would just like to hear from others if i should still apply or if these units seem to be pretty strict on this statement. also is any new grads on an ob floor have any suggestions about their application process or if any hiring nurses have any tips on what they look for, that all would be appreciated as well. thanks! p.s. i know that working as a tech is usually a good way to try and get a foot in, but 1) the hospitals closest to my college aren't currently hiring techs for any mom/baby unit (or if they are they are day shift, full time which i can't do because of school classes) and 2) my college is 2 hours away from my home, where i plan on moving back to once i graduate this may, so getting my foot in the door at a hospital around my school probably wouldn't benefit me if i want to move back home (besides possibly getting a recommendation letter or something).

As a senior nursing student, I am also starting to think about jobs after graduation and got into nursing because of my desire to work on a PP/L&D unit. I have definitely come across the barrier of seeing the dreaded "minimum 2 years experience" statement on many job postings. See if you can partake in any extra time on that floor. I was picked to be 1 of 10 students who were able to specify an area of interest in order to spend additional, individualized time on a floor or their choice. I was placed on the Mom/Baby unit and I loved it. The extra time is a nice addition to the resume too and I'm currently looking into volunteering a few hours on the Mom/Baby floor next semester as well. It's nice to hear that there are places that look at new grads and I'm trying to keep my head up by hoping that adding these extra things on my resume will show that I really am commited to wanting to be a part of this specialty.

Thank you all so much!! These are definitely getting ideas flowing in my head. While I did have my mother baby clinical last Fall, I didn't get to do or see much and because of that didn't remember all the things that go on on that unit. Thanks again!!

Hello, I was picked due to my GPA to be in a special classes that allows only 10 students to spend more time in an area of nursing that they think they might be interested in. I am interested in mother/baby, specifically the newborn nursery. That is where my experience for this class will be. We need to make up 4-5 measureable objectives of things that we would like to accomplish during our time there. This is becoming hard because we really aren't allow to do any invasive procedures or administer medications. If anyone has some ideas of things that would be beneficial for me to participate in or view during this experience in this area I would greatly appreciate it! Thanks! So far I've compiled these that I might have to try to tweak to make them somehow measureable: *Participate in an admission exam to the nursery *View how a heel stick is done in order to collect blood for screening tests *Learn how a nursery nurse plans her day and structures it around the needs of the newborns in the nursery

Hello, I was just picked to be in a class this coming Fall of my Senior year. It is a special class where only 10 students are picked to experience 48-55 hours of a nursing role or at a nursing site that we might find interesting. I've always thought about OB nursing. NICU isn't an option this Fall and in case I can't be placed in a newborn nursery or in some other area of OB, I'm just trying to look into other areas that might be interesting to explore since this is basically like an additional clinical focused around shadowing. I've wondered about Lactation Consultants. Do they need to be an RN in order to focus in this area or this is something that you just need special training and certification for? I guess my question is, do you think this would be a role worth shadowing if I'm interesting in OB as a nurse after I graduate or if there another area that you feel I should look into more to take advantage of this shadowing opportunity. Thanks so much! :)