clwb2008

I worked in a busy womens/birthing hospital w/ dedicated anesthesia for L&D. The general practice was that no woman would be refused an epidural but often a patient like this wont make it in time. My practice would be to explain the issues related to her expected rapid progress but still prep her for epidural if she insisted. I dont think it is right to refuse it. Also I have a time or 2 seen a multiparous women looking very close to delivery who stalled in 2nd stage (altho not too often tho).

Hello I am a canadian nurse w/ 16 yrs experience, 4 as LPN, 12 as RN. I have been thinking about medical mission nursing for a long time and may possibly doing a 2 week trip in Africa. My thinking is that I want to do some short term missions to see if I have it in me or if it is my calling to do some longer term work. I have never done anything like this before. I was thinking perhaps I might look into Haiti as a first time. I contacted Hope for Haiti and they are full for their 2010 trips but they have several 5 day trips in 2011. It is quite an expensive thing to pay for a flight from western canada to haiti and I dont know if this is something I should do a little fundraising for or not. Anyway, if anyone has any insight into this organzation or any thoughts and comments they would be much appreciated.

when I worked in L&D we would not routinely use O2 w/ oxytocin unless necessary for decels etc.

Yes it is crazy the amt of varying wages across north america. It seems in canada nurses make somewhat similar amts from province to province. About 9 yrs ago here in B.C. nurses were making close to the lowest amt in canada at top level 26.50/hr, at that time there was a huge amt of job action and we got a large raise to take it up to the 30's, now top level 1 RN is 40/hr. Where I live the cost of housing in very high, I live in a small 1 bedroom apartment just outside the city worth about 225,000, 20 mins away inside the city the same place would likely go for atleast 400,000. A house anywhere around where I live?? 500-1 million plus (not a mansion for 1 mill either) very easily.

Do you work in a unionized environment? I live in Canada, I am at the top of basic RN scale and I make 40/hr (80/year) full time.

Hello I am a nurse in canada so I cannot speak to your expectations regarding your enrolled program, but I can comment that as a nursing student you will likely have lots of opportunities to explore different areas of practice. If you dont get the experience you desire during your schooling you will likely have lots of opportunities to explore different types of jobs when you graduate. I have been a nurse for 16 yrs and I have worked in L&D, cardiac surgery, organ transplant, neurosciences, temp nursing (including home care, prison nursing, school nursing etc), travel nursing to the U.S., elderly care home nursing,med-surg etc, . I am currently in telenursing. I would be confident that you will get a chance to explore you thoughts about L&D nursing by talking to other nurses, your own research etc. And you can always apply and try a job out. Best of luck to you !