Skips

What ended up happening? I hope you are well and have found something you want.

I'm pretty introverted and I did just fine as a labor nurse. It was about enjoying my work and facilitating a safe, connected birth experience for my patient and their family. If you can do that, you'll be fine.

Hi! I'm still here and still a nurse. I am in a certified nurse-midwife program now. I'm glad I didn't leave nursing. However, I would have gone to teaching instead if the pay and treatment of teachers wasn't so horrendous, honestly.

Hello! I moved from Nebraska (compact state) to Virginia (compact state), so I can't relate to the non-compact state timeline. It took me awhile to get my required documents together, but it does take about 4-6 weeks. I had to do fingerprinting. I noticed after a few weeks, they hadn't moved my application. So, I emailed them and I had a license the next day. Keep an eye on your application and if it's been longer than 4-6 weeks, email or call them.

Congrats! Welcome to OB! ?

How did you get a school to take you seriously? I've only gotten one interview at an ADN program and the pay was dismal, so I declined the job offer. They wanted me to teach a specialty I don't have experience in, too. I felt too uncomfortable with it. I (finally) got an adjunct teaching job last semester when a BSN program gave me a chance. I am limited to only doing OB because that's my specialty. I haven't really done anything else except working in an allergy/asthma clinic as a new grad, then as a school nurse for a year before I started in OB. I am limited to what I can teach. Any pointers for eventually getting a full-time faculty position? Am I too limited? How did you get your position and what is your specialty? I have my MSN, but I do want to get a PhD within the next 5 years or so. I am working on my second Master's right now (CNM school). I am excited to read your stories and experiences. Thank you!

I worked in an OB/GYN clinic when I wanted a break from the hospital. I really enjoyed it. In fact, it's been my favorite job so far! I did telephone triage more than doing hands-on clinic. You could try an OB case manager for an insurance company. Those are frequently work from home. Some states have programs of visiting nurses for pregnant and postpartum moms. Get creative! ?

You have NRP already and you've shown interest. Keep applying! The manager knows your name and your interest, so you do have an advantage. Mother Baby is difficult to get into because it's where good nurses go to die in a good way. The babies, the parents (most of the time are eager to learn), the teaching, the tasks. I just love a good Mother Baby shift. It's not always butterflies and rainbows, but it's a good unit to work on. This is why it's tough to break into it. Some places around the country are hiring all the time for Mother Baby. The hospital I work at has turnover because they have lost staff to graduate school or staff wanting to widen their nursing experience or simply not wanting to work night shift anymore. I am located in Virginia and there are several Mother Baby openings. However, the state I came from (Nebraska) had none ever. It really depends on the region. Keep applying, keep applying, keep applying! ? You will get somewhere eventually. That's what I did with L&D. I kept applying for 2 years and finally got in somewhere.

How did it go? I recommend Googling "behavioral based interview questions" and practicing those if you didn't before. If you got the job, you don't need this advice. (I hope you did get the job!).

Hello! Taking that exam without any clinical experience in interpreting fetal monitoring sounds like a nightmare. I'm sorry you have to do this for school. The requirement I had to do for CNM school was either have my certification or take an AWHONN course. I recommend Mosby's Pocket Guide to Fetal Monitoring 9th ED. (Miller, Miller & Cypher). Also be sure to take a basic fetal monitoring course (AWHONN is a good one, I honestly don't know what else I'd use to take a basic course). Best of luck!

I agree. That situation is quite odd! Klone, I love this reply! I've been following your posts since before I ever started in OB...as a nursing student, really. Your posts are always helpful and I appreciate the honesty. I second the Mosby's Pocket Guide to Fetal Monitoring. It's good stuff. That's what I used to study for C-EFM.

I know you have a hard time believing this, but you are on the right track. That sounds exactly right. L&D is a beast to learn. It's a specialty you don't really spend time on during nursing school because it's indeed so incredibly specialized. It will come with time. I wouldn't expect you to know everything right away as a preceptor. The more experience you gain, you will begin to link the book knowledge to the clinical experience and it will stick. It's how the brain learns new things and makes new connections. (I promise you will get it!). It takes a solid year to year-and-a-half to get comfortable with L&D. Missing an IV isn't a big deal. I used to think it was, but now? Nope. I'll try again and if I still don't get it, I'll ask someone else. No big deal. We all have bad streaks. You have a healthy anxiety. You have two patients to care for now. One you can't "see" or really put your hands or stethoscope on. You got this, though. 6 months of orientation is lucky! I got 12 weeks in my first L&D job, but they kicked me off orientation 3 weeks early. I was not ready. They thought I was, but I wasn't. I never thought I'd ever "get" it, but here I am...in midwife school with about 6 years of experience. I feel like if I can do it, anyone can with how much anxiety and nerves and shakiness I had in the beginning. I was a wreck. Anyway, I've rambled on enough. I think you're doing well! ?

Hi! I wanted to see how you're doing. I found out I was pregnant 2 months before I got accepted to midwife school. I like to keep myself busy. ? I gave birth during my first fall semester of CNM school and it has been difficult, but I start clinical next month. (What!? It's gone by so fast!). To anyone reading this: Yes, you can do it. It will take a ton of support and planning, but you can do it. Make sure you have a strong support person in your life to help out. Your house will be a little messier, but you'll survive. My calendar and planner were my lifeline.

Your career started in the midst of a pandemic, which hadn't happened in the U.S. in one hundred years. That would be enough to send many people to therapy without the added stress of a tough specialty. I remember feeling unhappy with nursing for the first 5 years or so. It has gotten better. Tincture of time. Continuing therapy and taking care of yourself is of utmost importance, even if that means taking a break from nursing altogether or just inpatient nursing. I was getting very burned out in L&D, so I did a year and a half in the OB/GYN office. It was the break I needed to get back into L&D. More education helps me, too. I read journal articles regularly, I question why things are the way they are and how they can be improved. I refresh myself by learning all that I can. Your idea of refreshing yourself will be different than mine, but I wanted to give you an example of what helped my confidence and love of nursing - the spirit of inquiry. For you, it could be the spirit of having heart. Or it could be the spirit of strength. Whatever you decide to do, I think you know what the answer is and what you need to do next. Best of luck and I'm glad you chose to get support from other nurses on here!

I got my RNC-OB certification first, then did C-EFM second. I'd say get either one first. If they're both paid for, why not both? If only one is paid for, get C-EFM first.

Hello! It's been a few weeks since you posted, but just in case anyone else needs advice I thought I'd chime in. Cervical checks are difficult. You never learned how to do them in school. It's not a typical nursing skill across the board. Some L&D nurses don't check patients often if they work at a teaching facility or if providers want to check their own patients. It is a skill that comes with time. I still remember the first time I tried to check a cervix. All I felt was mush! After awhile, you realize where anatomy is generally located and the shape of the pelvis and how to curve down and up to find it if it's not anterior yet. Laboring cervixes are easier to check than non-laboring. You will get better, it takes time. Be aware of obstetric violence and read up on trauma informed care. I wanted to add that in!

I didn't have to do an interview with Frontier. I'm surprised, but it wasn't too bad of an application process.

Best of luck to everyone! I got accepted to Frontier, so I gave up my interview spot. I hope everyone gets in, you will all rock it.

Shortly after March 1st, we should hear back about interviews. Best of luck to you all! Report back!

Oh we are applying to the same class! Best of luck! And congrats on graduating this year! I think it’s great that you know what you want to do. Frontier does not find clinical preceptors for you like Bethel does, but they have mentors who can help you find someone in your area. They have preceptors all over the country and I know that they give them an honorarium, so that helps. I think preceptors deserve that anyway. Teaching is hard work! I am only applying to Bethel and Frontier. Super nervous! Thank you for the reply.

Hello! I am finishing up my application for Frontier's next class for nurse midwifery. Frontier is very competitive, so I'm nervous. I also plan to apply to Bethel's midwifery program. -My undergraduate GPA for my BSN is 3.5. My graduate GPA is 3.8. I tried to do better in my BSN program, but as a parent that went through a divorce during the program while working part-time, I could only do so much! I was pretty young, too. -L&D nurse for 3.5 years -OB/GYN clinic nurse. There are MD's, DO's, and CNM's in the office -I have extra responsibilities at my current job, and I plan to become a lactation champion. Hopefully I will get my CLC this next year. -I don't currently volunteer, unfortunately. What else can I do to become a good applicant if I don't get in first round? I appreciate all the help! I really want to get accepted. Happy Holidays!

Yes, you are spot on in describing my experience as a labor nurse. This helped a lot. Thank you.

Thank you for your reply. It is appreciated. I think some of it was related to having to be away from home at night 3-4 nights per week. I only saw my fiancé (now husband) half the week due to working opposite schedules. We were having a rocky time in our relationship, which made home life stressful. It was a lonely time. I also felt that sometimes I wasn’t quite sure what to do with a strip sometimes, or questioned if I was overthinking something and I was going to call the provider for something I should have known already. I also worried that the providers might think I’m too dumb to do L&D nursing. Or what if I missed something that needed addressed and I just didn’t see it? Basically, I was anxious all the time. I also got yelled at by physicians a couple times (not enjoyable) and I witnessed my coworkers being belittled by providers in front of patients. I wanted to feel helpful, not harmful or in the way. It got to the point that my anxiety and health was already on thin ice from night shift, then I had a bad outcome and that sealed the deal for me with quitting inpatient obstetrics. I feel that midwifery would be a fulfilling career. I love women’s health and I have a difficult time seeing myself doing anything different. I also love birth. I might just become a childbirth educator or something in the birth field without being a nurse or provider. I think I need to seek out a therapist about this. But your questions made me think.

I would say basic things like, do show up on time and ready to go. Ask questions outside of the room. Shadowing is typically hands off, so no patient care. Bring something to write with and a small notebook to take notes. You got this!

Congratulations! I hope I am not too late with this reply. If you already shadowed, how did it go? Ask questions as they come up! I'm sure you will have a lot once you are there. Are you an experienced nurse that wants labor experience? Or a new graduate? Either way, I would be sure to take in how the staff treats you and those around them. Are they warm and inviting? Or cold and distant? Do the providers seem to treat the nursing staff with warmth and kindness? Do you notice that the nurses help each other out? Next, I would take in what type of equipment is being used. Does it seem to work properly? Do the nurses have to look for equipment they need or is it easily accessible? As far as laboring patients, I would ask what types of positioning they do during labor. If the unit is about physiologic birth or other practices? Some units will know exactly what you are talking about, others may look at you like you're crazy! I would also ask about turnover. Ask if the staff feels supported. Ask about educational opportunities and if there are any unit based councils to join. So many things! I hope you enjoy the experience.