laraclaire

Don't be too nervous about "making it" once you're off orientation. I was scared to death when I was first on my own but if you have a good support system and peers that will help you when you need it, you'll be fine. You're going to make mistakes...period. Everyone makes mistakes and everyone needs help once in a while. Don't try and be a hero because that's how mistakes happen. Asking for help is perfectly okay as a new grad, especially with learning the basics of nursing. I still get nervous if I've had a bad shift recently or whatnot. It's normal to feel like you don't know what you're doing because you don't and you won't for many many years. Learning to accept that you will mess up will help you feel better. It doesn't matter what percentage "make it", what matters is that you know when to ask for help. You'll know, you'll get a little itch at the back of your neck or you'll start sweating, feel in over your head and that's when you simply say, I need help. No worries, don't be too hard on yourself. Sorry for the novel but I think it's necessary that new nurses understand this.

I worked 3p-3a for a while when I first started nursing and I loved it. It's the normal time I'm awake so so super early wake up and no sleeping way late into the day. I would go to bed by 4am and wake up a little after noon and be good to go.

I went into L&D straight from school and I don't regret it at all. My hospital had a 12week orientation program which was great and helped me learn how to be a nurse and how to be a good L&D nurse. Now that I've been doing L&D for a while now, I am starting to get curious about other areas of nursing but I don't think that comes from going straight to L&D, I think I'm just a curious person.

Thanks for the tips. I figured I needed to just stay up late and sleep during the day the day before I work but I'll definitely try the yoga suggestion, it's been awhile since I've done it and I would love to get back into it.

My OB rotation in nursing school is what made me want to be an L&D nurse and I absolutely love it! Two days is not at all long enough to get a full picture of OB nursing, especially if the unit is slow or doesn't do many deliveries. OB nursing is a very high malpractice area within the hospital. I say this not to scare you but to warn you that you might not get to do as much on an OB rotation as you would in a med-surg rotation. During my rotation, I observed a few lady partsl deliveries, a C/S, and basically helped the RN with anything she needed. We had not learned IV starts by this rotation so I just watched the RN and learned that way. Just be those helpful hands and show interest in learning OB because it really is quite interesting.

I have been an L&D nurse for a little over a year now and recently moved to a new job. I have been on days (12 hr shifts) for orientation since Feb. and am now switching to my permanent night shift this coming week. I've read all about how to sleep during the day (fan, sleep mask, no phone, dark room, etc.) and how to transition to a "normal sleep pattern" after working three 12hr shifts but I still am curious how to transition from being on a normal sleep schedule to night shift schedule. For example, I've been off for the past three days and am scheduled to work Tuesday night 7p-7a. What is the best way to sleep to prepare for working nights? Thanks!