califoRNia.

Hi, Thanks everyone for responding. It sounds like I need to make some personal connections since I don't have experience. As far as finding the nurse manager. Do I just go up to the labor delivery floor and knock on the door? and then what do I say as far as why I want to see the manager? I am interested in labor and delivery? - Sorry I know this is probably a simple thing to do.

When I was a new psych nurse I worried about over sedation of the patients. For someone extremely agitated I wouldn't worry about giving a benzos with routine meds etc. It will take a lot to calm someone down who is very agitated. I would worry if they were elderly, or had low BP. Some med combinations I have learned about. Do not give valium w/ suboxone - a man at our hospital almost died from respiratory depression. If someone has tachycardia do not give benadryl or other anticholinergics because it can increase their heart rate further. I learned this from our internist after I gave an anxious pt with a HR of 120 some benadryl to 'calm them down.' Most likely they will want you to give them clonidine for anxiety combined with elevated HR.

I've been a psych nurse for about two years now. Psychotic patients ended up being my favorite. :) With this type of patient Maslow's hierarchy of needs comes to mind. Your priorities become not orienting to reality but providing a safe environment, ensuring proper hygiene, ensuring proper nutrition, if she will not eat perhaps she will drink a high protein smoothie etc. Until the medication's kick in these more basic needs are a priority.

Hello all, In summary I.. Want to work in OB - my dream job is education of pregnant women have 2 years experience w/ mental illness/drug addiction have no personal or professional experience in OB but its my calling What should I do?! So the whole reason I became a RN was to go into OB. I moved to california shortly after graduating from nursing school and found it very difficult to find a job. So I settled on a job in an acute psychiatric facility. I am currently working part time at a drug rehab with a very good hospital. I love my job but its part time and its not my passion. The hospital next to my house currently has about five job postings for various positions in L & D, mother baby unit etc. all of these jobs require 1-2 years experience in the field. I have come up with a couple options I could.. go talk to the RN manager on the unit and see what advice he/she has for me. Volunteer on the unit. start volunteering at a local shelter of pregnant women get certified as a child birth educator or another certification if that would increase my chances? Any advice on what my next step should be to obtain my dream job? Also do you think it is concerning that the hospital is trying to hire so many RN's for L & D? My current hospital is up a notch and they have only advertised one job in their birth center over the past two years that I have seen. Thanks for your help!