BuckRN

Recently, I have had several upper level OB residents insisting that I increase pitocin on patients who are not changing despite adequate MVUs. They're response when I say that they are more than adequate is that baby is tolerating it just fine and that patient is not changing. The whole concept of saturating pit receptors and increasing the risk for post partum hemorrhage seems to be totally lost on them. Also, I had a multip come in dilated to a 5. We AROM and put in an IUPC right away which is absurd to me. She was only contracting q5min and they were not super strong, but they didn't even wait 2 hours for her next check before ordering pit. I know for a fact multips can dilate to complete with very few contractions and hello...she came it already dilated to a 5! Does anyone else deal with these types of problems?

I worked Tele for 4 years before finally getting into L&D.

I got 16 weeks of orientation in L&D, but we are a large facility and I had to orient to circulating, PACU, and our antepartum/high risk postpartum unit. Before my official L&D orientation started, I also spent some shifts in Newborn Nurser, Postpartum, and one shift with a Lactation Consultant.

I had a hard time with that too, but finally found a large county hospital that hired me. I had to leave the state I was in to find it though.

I work at a large county hospital that does over 300 deliveries a month. We all float through as circulator and a good portion of nurses are trained to scrub as well. On nights we have scrub tech until 11p M-F and then a nurse takes over as scrub and on weekends we only have nurses to scrub.

They do let nursing students take them, but of course it costs quite a bit of money. I am only saying about the certifications because one interview I went to suggested I get those things to make myself more marketable. However, I kind of found that insulting when I interviewed because I had excellent recommendations from managers and supervisors and I thought my work ethic should speak above my lack of certifications that I had no use for unless I actually got a job in a unit requiring those certifications. I guess it all depends on who is doing the hiring.

Most L&D units require ACLS certification. Some want a STABLE certification as well. See if any of the hospitals in your area are hiring nurses aids or unit clerks in any are of the women's department. My unit has only hired 1 new grad lately that wasn't already an employee in the Women's Services department. It can be done, but also know that it might not happen for you right away. My one dream is to be a CNM as well, but I've been a nurse for 4 years and just got hired into L&D in May. I worked as a Tele/PCU nurse first and it was invaluable experience. Don't discount that life can work out better than the plan you have in your head! Good luck!

I went into nursing school knowing that L&D was absolutely what I wanted to do. However, after I graduate, rarely were people getting hired as new grads into L&D. I worked as a Tele Nurse for 3.5 years before I finally landed my L&D job. I can honestly say that I don't regret that I took that first Tele job. I learned so much and it's also a confidence booster to see yourself be successful even in an area that is not your passion. I think it was the amazing letters of recommendation I received from my Tele supervisors that got me my L&D job. L&D is great, but it is HARD and STRESSFUL a lot of the time. I am so glad to have my time management skills honed and my basic nursing skills mastered. It has made the transition into L&D that much easier. Good luck!

I want to come work at your hospital then. I'm tired of trying to keep babies happy on pit!

L&D patients are often considered critical as well just as a side note. It's not an easy, happy place. It can be super stressful and scary.

Let me just preface this by saying that I think Pit is WAY overused. However, I work at a busy teaching facility that does 300-400 births per month and boy do they love the Pit. We start it on freaking everybody and the only explanation I get is that we don't have the luxury of waiting for everyone to have a baby on their own time so we need to speed it along. They want everyone in an adequate contraction pattern. Never mind that plenty of women can make change despite having what looks like an inadequate contraction pattern on a TOCO. Doctors are seriously impatient.

I never get to eat at the same time each night. Sometimes eating a meal just doesn't happen, so I always bring string cheese and almonds to snack on. Also, I can't work out after my shift because then I have a hard time sleeping.

Yes, I believe it says right on the info for the exam that you can have the TX BON website open to use as a resource during the test.

So not necessary to do the prep course. I passed it no problem with just using the website while taking the test.

We get postpartum maggers back into L&D even if it is several days post delivery.