TNgirl2010

This is for the OB nurses out there.. I became a nurse with the intention of working in labor and delivery. I did my practicum experience in nursing school in L&D and felt like it was my calling. Due to the competitiveness of such positions and hiring freezes in my area around the time I graduated nursing school, I was not one of those lucky new grads who landed an OB position. I have experience in Med/Surg as a staff nurse and charge nurse, and am now working in a large ICU at a great facility. I am very thankful for the experiences that I have had as a Med/Surg nurse and ICU nurse, but I still feel like it is not my calling. Currently the hospital I work for is recruiting ICU nurses for the L&D department as there are several openings. I feel like I should go for it since it is my dream job, but I am hesitant right now because I am 6 weeks pregnant with my first child. My question is: would it be a bad idea to begin working in L&D as a pregnant nurse? My hospital deals with the most high-risk pregnancies and births as we have one of the top rated NICUs around. I know that if I decide to make the transfer, I need to do it ASAP before I am visibly pregnant, so I feel pressured to decide SOON. Also, I am planning on delivering here. Does anyone have experience delivering their baby on their unit? Would it be as awkward as I am thinking, or am I putting too much thought into this? I really appreciate any feedback from anyone!

Ok, I will share this one. I once told my s/p laryngectomy pt, as I was leaving his room, to "just holler if you need anything!" Ugh I wanted to die right after I said it. Thank God he had a sense of humor!

I have had several pt's complain that our unit is "too quiet." bahaha (And I hate it when people say the "q-word!")

Well done! I would want you to be my nurse someday (if I required one)!

Very interesting topic, I work with a few nurses that are dating/married to other nurses and seem very happy. My husband is of a military background and is about to start a career in law enforcement, so we have totally different work experiences. Personally I like us being different, I respect what he does and he respects what I do. I can definitely see the benefits of being with someone who totally "gets it" as far as what we nurses go through, I can't say that my husband gets it at all! I used to get mad when I would vent to him about my horrible nights thanks to staffing nightmares, crashing pts, whatever while he would stare at me blankly and be like, "uh huh, ok, what are you talking about?" Ha ha. I have learned to vent to my nurse friends who understand. I do like to freak him out with disgusting nurse tales though!

((hugs to you and your family))

Wow, how disturbing. Kudos to you for pursuing the matter. I'd stalk, er look back, on her previous posts and info page and try to find out her employer.

I agree with the above poster, I would take out everything not healthcare related. Maybe I would leave the military experience since that always shows dedication and hard work. :) Otherwise I think it is great, good luck to you! May you find your dream job soon!

Congrats on the job! You knowledge and skills will grow tremendously. In my experience, I learned SO much more on the job than reviewing. Your employer does not expect you to know everything, just to be willing to learn. It wouldn't hurt to review common diseases as the poster above me suggested since you will become very familiar with them in your new job. It also would help to review basic rhythms (if your unit has telemetry.) Also know how to locate your organization's policies and procedures since that is an important reference to know. Good luck to you! :)

Thanks Ruby, that was exactly what I needed to hear! :) I'll definitely check out the ICU FAQ's site and the AACN. Thank you!

Calling all seasoned ICU nurses, I am starting a new job in a SICU in a few weeks with NO ICU experience. I have worked on a Med/Surg floor for the past 1.5 years but never worked in a critical care setting. Are there any good websites (besides allnurses.com of course), books, etc that I should know about before I make the transition? Are any of you members of a professional organization related to critical care? I greatly appreciate any advice, I'm scared to death yet very excited! :)

I do not find it inappropriate to attend funerals of former patients who were on your unit. Before I became a nurse, my grandmother passed away and one of her nurses attended her funeral. It meant a lot to me and my family, and inspired me to become a nurse. You sound like a caring person and that is never a bad thing! However, I would caution against getting overly involved in your patients' lives in the future simply for YOUR sake. I believe there needs to be a healthy balance in one's personal and professional lives. If you immerse yourself in your patients' lives at work and when you're off the clock, I'm afraid you will burn out FAST. Best of luck to you!

Bless your heart, how traumatizing! Thank goodness that mix-up didn't cause any harm.

Business casual is appropriate. Think dress pants or khakis, closed toed shoes, nice blouse/button up shirt... Definitely nothing low cut or revealing (duh!), simple jewelry, etc. You never know where you might run into your nurse manager or some hospital VIP!

So sorry to hear that you are in this situation. I think you need to get away from hospital nursing, it's definitely not for everyone. Look into your local health department, clinics, physician offices, coding/insurance companies, psych, case management, dialysis clinics, infusion clinics, school nursing, etc. It is also a good time to apply with seasonal flu shot companies as a side job. I doubt that you are dumb or a bad nurse, you just haven't been able to reach your full potential because you are not in the right environment. Good luck to you and keep us posted! I really think there are better days ahead for you! :heartbeat