txpixiedust

I work Postpartum (12+ at night), and LOVE it! :) I oriented on days, but work nights. I love the nights - and not because it's easier - it's just different. The moms definitely don't sleep all night, so it's not a cake-walk. We usually start with 5-6 patients, and can end up with 8+ if it's crazy and we're short nurses to begin with. Nights don't have discharges, food service coming & going, or the volume of visitors that days do. We do have visitors for about 4 hours, and then 1 "support person" can stay the night if they're in a private room or suite. For assessments and patient teaching think BUBBLE - breasts, uterus, bowels, bladder, lochia and episiotomy. You'll do assessments (Uterus being your fundal checks) at least once a shift, and more often if their BP drops, blood flow increases, temp increases, etc. (signs of PP Hemoraghe, hematoma, puerperal infection). You'll need to assist with /educate moms on breastfeeding, hygiene, and breastcare for lactating and non-lactating moms. And....check PCE's (epidurals) and PCA's, get C-sec moms to TCDB Q2H & get out of bed to prevent DVT's, keep SCD's on moms who are "fresh" sections (also to prevent DVT's), give pain-meds, keep ice-packs (real or chemical depending on the doc) on the perineum, monitor IVF, take blood draws for CBC or Liver Panels or Coagulation Studies or Rhogam Workups or HIV repeat tests (and more that aren't thought of as OB type tests), put in or take out foleys (depending on the mom and what's going on with her), give suppositories for those moms who are worried crazy about their BM's!, give blood & blood products (including Rhogam), start moms back on their anti-depressants/mood stablizers (these patients are some of the most challenging!), call docs about potential problems, take care of a lot of domestic type situations, encourage moms with babies with dissabilites /malformaties/ disease, comfort moms whose babies died, and teach a lot of first time moms how to bond with/take care of their baby. I'm sure I left something out - but I just got home from work & I should be sleeping. ha ha ha! :) Sometimes I'm so busy I treat myself to a bathroom break, but I feel so blessed to work in my unit. I work in a very supportive hospital, with great staff, and I love my specialty. I'm truly blessed to work where I do. I'm actually cross training in the Newborn Nursery this week, and it looks like that will be good, too! If you are at all interested I say find an internship at a large hospital - you'll learn a lot, get a lot of support/training, and will see a lot of things they told you are rare in Nursing school. I've already seen babies with oomphaceles, atresias, trisomy's, etc (something I never expected). Good Luck & God Bless! txpixiedust

Hi Flybaby1, It looks like you're concerned with 2 areas - safety and entry positions.... There are certainly risks that come with Nursing in general - since we are "exposed" to our patients every time we go to work. However, the degree to which you are exposed is subject to 2 things -the specialty you decide to work in, and the degree to which you actually practice the precautions you learn in Nursing school. Of course there are always unforseen things such as accidents, but in general if you glove, gown, and mask up when needed you will be safe. Needle sticks occur but do not happen with great frequency, and if they do the Hospital has protocols in place to reduce your chance of contracting something. I admit that I'm new, but I try to continue putting to practice the things I learned in school, and take time (even though I don't always have it) to be slow and deliberate with things like needles, blood/urine samples, etc. And I wear GLOVES all the time!!! In fact, my girlfriends in Nursing school would give me a hard time about how quickly I had gloves on once I got into the patients room, and always had a pair or two in my pocket for emergencies!!! ha ha ha :wink2: As to the entry level positions - yes, most graduate nurses work nights. You most likely would have to work 2 weekends (or 4 weekend nights) per month. At my hospital, the weekend nights are Friday and Saturday. But....a nice thing about weekends is the $10 per hour more you make, and the fun you'll have spending it when places aren't as crowded during the week! ha....at least I think so. They usually have a "list" you can put your name on if you want to get moved to dayshift, and when your name comes up you can decide if you want to move to days or get your name put back at the bottom of the list again. Also....I know a lot of people will tell you that you have to work Med/Surg as a GN. There are a ton of Med/Surg jobs for GN's, but if you get an Internship you can start working in a specialty area (Mother Baby, L&D, NICU, MICU, ICU, ER, OR,etc..) that you really want to work in long-term. I'm sure with the pre-req's you've taken, you could get into another related field with different risks...but if you really want to be a Nurse, would you be happy? I was 31 y/o separated mom when I went back to school, and I'm so glad I did. I know I've mentioned this on the site before, how my brother (a photographer, web, and marketing genius) made a gift for me after my graduation....but I'll tell it again because I hope it will inspire you! :redbeathe After the graduation cermonies, my brother took a picture of me in my cap & gown in front of the sign at my school. A few days later, he gave me another card telling me how proud he was of me, and how I was a great example to him of determination, and hard work. Along with the card he gave me a framed picture of me that he'd taken with a quote from C.S. Lewis worked into the top of the photo. It said "You are never too old to set another goal or to dream a new dream." Follow your :redbeathe and you'll find joy, no matter what age you are! Good Luck & God Bless!:heartbeat txpixiedust

If you want to work in Womens & Childrens Services I think you should take the job in that unit. I work PP, and love it. Also....the unit clerks in our unit know so much that would be helpful to you when you are in RN in that unit. I'm a newbie, and if I need something fixed, an order placed into the system, to know which MD's are in a group together, what to the usual orders are for certain MD's (lab draws, etc.) before the patient gets to the floor,etc. - I know the unit clerk can answer them. Of course I always ask for help from other RN's or the Charge RN, but the unit clerks on my unit are indepsensible. And....even though they are busy and earn their money, they tend to have more "down-time" in that they can sit at the desk, and in between placing orders, answering call lights, and assigning rooms,etc. they can study. I think every one of our unit clerks is going to nursing school! :) A CNA job would be good for getting you accustomed to caring for patients, and time management - but you can make up for that in school and in orientation. I think you'd be fine, especially if you get a Internship when you get your first job. I got an internship in PP, and loved it! The classes, and time on the floor with my preceptors was such a blessing!:twocents: Good Luck & God Bless!:heartbeat txpixiedust

I'm sure I'll get flamed....but everyone has a right to their own opinion..... I think it's wrong. God knit each of us together in the womb of our mothers and that is exactly how he meant us to be - either male or female.

No offense Melinurse, but the OP can take a CPR class and know what to do if the mom collapses or the baby turns blue! I teach CPR, and I've had a lot of non-medical people actually pay more attention & retain what they've learned than SEASONED NURSES!!! You'd be suprised at how much Nurses don't seem to remember when they renew their BLS certification every 2 years. Nursing school & Clinicals would be good for understanding the pathophysiology of course, especially with diabetic patients. Anyhow...not trying to attack...I see your point....Just wanted to add my . txpixiedust:heartbeat

You are definitely not a lost cause, I'm sorry someone said that! I'm a firm believer that if God put a dream in your heart there is a way to make it happen - no matter how long it takes, so don't be discouraged!!! :) I'm not sure about requirements for Ohio, or even Texas for that matter, sorry. I think if I were you.....I'd start looking at listings for jobs you do want to see what education/training they require....OR...call the HR dept at an organization/company you'd like to work for and talk with them about what you want to do & how exactly to get there. If you need to go to Nursing school....your GPA is probably a little low to be competitive, but is clearly within the required range. Just apply, and retake a few classes if needed. You may also find that your "overall" GPA is not as low as you think once the non-nursing pre-req's are taken out. Woohoo! :) Another option since you'd like to become involved in childbirth or diabetes education is to get some certified training in those areas. Maybe even become a doula. Please no flames people.....but becoming a doula, though requiring time & work, is not as hard as Nursing school. I haven't done it personally, but know people who have. That along with certifications in Lamaze training, breastfeeding, etc. should prepare you to teach childbirth classes. I hope something I've suggested was helpful - even if it just spurred another thought. Good Luck & God Bless!:heartbeat txpixiedust

Well.....I graduated from Nursing school in May 2007 - a few days after turning 34. And I, too function like a single mom (separated with little to no help, etc.). I think as a mom, especially one in our position, it's hard -but it CAN be done! :wink2: It's hard to balance school, studying, and spending time with the kids. It's possible that your mom worries about how hard this will be for you, how much time you'll be "away" from the kids, etc. My parents were a HUGE help, and without them and the prayers of my family and church I wouldn't have made it! What was hard for me was there just didn't seem to be enough hours in my day. I felt like I was always telling my son, "Sorry, Mommy has to study for ____. I can play with you in ___hours or on ____day" etc. So I found the best place to study was my car! Yep. As crazy as that sounds, it worked. I'd get my mom to watch my son, go park my car at the edge of the Target (or wherever I needed to shop) parking lot, study, and occassionally get out to walk into the store and do my errands as my break. ha. :) No distractions in the car - I'm not going to take a nap in a parking lot (ha), no tv, my son wasn't begging me to play gmaes, no phone calls, etc. And study groups with other moms helps, too. There seems to be alot of moms like us in Nursing school, you can have a study session before a test & the kids can play. I say follow your heart, and do what's right for you. You're a mom - you know your mom loves you and wants the best for you. When she sees that your heart is really in it, she'll jump through all the Nursing school hoops with you and be your biggest supporter at your pinning ceremony! :redbeathe Good Luck & God Bless! txpixiedust::redpinkhe P.S. My mom originally questioned my desire to be a Nurse, but once the pre-req's were done & I was in Nursing school she bragged to everyone that her daughter was going to be a Nurse. :)

If you transition from LPN to RN (either ADN or BSN program) you are an RN. As an RN, your duties in a hospital setting/bedside, would be essentially the same as an LPN. There are a few things LPN's aren't allowed to do - such as give blood, perform initial assessments, etc. but all things considered you'd be the same. As far as the difference in getting an ADN, BSN, or MSN - there is plenty of information on this site regarding the differing opinions for what is "the best" course of action. However....if you transition to RN with any of the 3 programs, you'd be an RN. You'd be Jane Doe, RN, ADN....or Jane Doe, RN, BSN...or Jane Doe, RN, MSN. However, with an MSN you'd either have a MSN in Education or you'd be a MSN with a clinical specialty(such as Family Nurse Practitioner, Women's, Psych, etc.). It all depends on you, how much time & money you have to devote to school, and your other life issues (family, need to work while going to school, etc). Education is never a bad thing, just make sure you do what is best for you! Good Luck! txpixiedust:redbeathe

how in the world does your adn program not include pharmacology?!? if it isn't included then by all means, take it! well...if her program is anything like mine was, it's worked into every test you have! uhh. anyhow....as far as what kind of classes to take to prepare you for the fall - if you have finished all your required classes (sociology, psychology, life-span psychology, statistics, etc. etc.) then i'd say take the summer to relax. once you start nursing school you're going to be so pressed for time to study that you don't have a life outside of school. especially true if you have to work or have family obligations. but...if you really want to be proactive....i'd really suggest buying and reading the required nursing fundamentals book for your program. that would give you a huge jump start. you'd become familiar with terminology, standards of care, medication administration, patient teaching, assessments, etc. and might make better grades that first semseter! ha. :) first semester is usually all about fundamentals! but.....absolutely have a life this summer. spend time with your family and friends. take a little trip/vacation....see movies....sleep.....relax! because you won't have much time for these things once school starts. good luck!!!:wink2: txpixiedust

We have an E-MAR, so I click back through the last day and count the number of pills they were given for certain drugs with limits per 12/24 hours, etc. I guess we're really lucky. Maybe you can be the nurse to make a change in your hospital and make medication administration safer (not that you're not safe, but like you said potential for problems is there) for patients. :nuke: txpixiedust:redbeathe

Hi skygirlhil, I'm a PP RN, and we get a lot of parents who think their baby has blood in their diaper, and are quite concerned. Not sure what you had in mind with your scenario, but that's what first came to mind. What the parents think is blood is actually what we call "brick dust" - when the babies are dehydated their urine is so concentrated it looks dark red. This usually occurs when babies are premature and not breastfeeding well. We just encourage the mom to put the baby to breast more, and for her to drink more fluids also. The Pedi's keep an eye on the baby and decide if they want mom to begin supplementing with formula. Hope that helps you either with school or later on if you work with Women & Children! Good Luck in School!:wink2: txpixiedust:nurse:

Our hospital has a Perinatal Loss Class, that while hard to sit through(I took my own kleenex and cried quite a bit!), it was a awesome class. I'm a PP RN, and I'm so glad the class is mandatory for all L&D, PP, Newborn Nursery, NICU, and Special Care Nursery RN's. Something powerful I learned was that someone whose lost a baby at 18 weeks, 30 weeks, or even months after delivery - can grieve equally, and that's okay. Part of the four hour class was a video that showed several families who experienced the loss of a child, how they helped their living children to cope, and how we as nurses or chaplains can help these families. The NICU Nurse and Chaplain who taught the class sited several studies/research that showed that moms who can realize and begin accepting their loss while in the hospital, do better long-term. At out hospital, Moms are allowed to keep the baby in their room in the bassinette for their entire length of stay, or have the baby brought back and forth from the morgue (and we place warm blankets around the baby before the family holds the baby). I'm not looking forward to my first mom with a demise, but I know the day will come and I feel better prepared due to this class and the handouts they've given us, etc. What these moms need is someone to tell them they're sorry, point out characteristics they shared (if possible) with family members (mom's eyes, dad's mouth), ask what the baby's name is, take pictures, help coordinate consults, provide information about funeral homes, and make a box of momentos for the mom to keep - hand and foot prints, a lock of hair, pictures with family & soft blankets/dolls or a ring the mom can wear on a necklace later, etc. I understand we're all busy, but as PP nurses we are the ones who are more apt to recognize the physical and emotional red flags for these patients. And we celebrate life everyday - we can definitely celebrate the life (although short) of the babies these women longed for and are now grieving over. I suggest that anyone who has never had a Perinatal Loss Class should ask their Clinical Educator to start one immediately - it will be a blessing to you and your patients. God Bless!:heartbeat txpixiedust

Hi Shenanigans, I'm in Postpartum, not L&D or ER, so I don't have any ectopic loss stories to share. However, I took a 4 hour Perinatal Loss class as part of my internship, and learned that women with a loss at any stage of pregnancy can grieve equally - meaning for some their grief can be just as deep as that of a mother who delivers a stillborn baby, etc. I suggest looking for posts here, articles in the MCN (Maternal Child Nursing Journal) at your school, or on the internet with the topic Perinatal Loss. I think you'll find a lot of what you're looking for. Good Luck & God Bless!:redpinkhe txpixiedust

I'm 34 and KNEW I couldn't stand to work in Med/Surg!!! God Bless the RN's who can work it, but I had more than enough of it in Nursing school! I've always wanted to work with women & children. During Nursing school I thought I wanted to work L&D, but then I worked in Postpartum a few days and realized that's where I was meant to be. So... graduated in May, and took my time getting my first job. I told myself I would look for what I wanted, and if I didn't find it by January I'd take anything for a year. Until then I would be "Full-time MOM" again, which I'd been missing during school, and take a celebration graduation trip. ha. I took the boards in August & passed, interviewed in October, was offered a job in November - and started my MBU Internship in January! I LOVE my job!!!:loveya: I say don't waste any time getting to a job you love. I actually find myself smiling or humming before, during, and after work. My unit is awesome, my preceptor was awesome (just finished day orientation), and I love what I do! I get the chance to care for and educate new mothers - in my book, nothing can be better. I feel so blessed to have my job, and while I may be a little unsure of myself here and there (PPH, etc), it's easier to learn info/skills for a job you actually have interest in. So....GO FOR IT & NEVER LOOK BACK! God Bless!:heartbeat txpixiedust