Question for OB GYN NURSES???

Hi! I'm kind of in the same position. I have a marketing degree, but have been a stay-at-home Mom for over 6 years. I'm really interested in becoming an OB nurse, but have so many fears. It'd be years of school with small children to take care of, the cost, and what if I get into it and decide it's really not for me. I guess what I'm most afraid of is that I have this unrealistic view of what it's really like and then will be disappointed and hate it. SO many things to think about...I don't remember being this worried when I was 18 and a freshman in college!!! My, how times change!

Hope we get some good input from some experienced nurses!

I am not an experienced nurse, but I am a new grad who just did what you guys are contemplating. I have three little kids and a previous degree. It took me four years in all to do it but I'm glad so far (ask me a again in a few years, right?). I will start my job soon where I did my preceptorship and I'm super excited!

OB nurses tend to have a little more autonomy compared to others.

If you are able, working as a tech or shadowing someone may give you an idea of whether this is something you really want to pursue or not.

Good luck!

PS... Florida's pay sucks. My base pay will start at $18 an hour (the rate is supposedly changing to $19 before I start but we'll see if that materializes).

I'm in the same boat as all of you. I have a BS degree in developmental studies and education. However, I stopped working seven years ago to become a full time SAHM after my second son was born. Now, two more kids later (we now have four ages 10, 6, 3 and 5 weeks), I am starting science classes online so I can someday fullfill my dream of being an OB nurse. The way I look at it is that I can START on my dream now by working on my science classes. And since science classes are "good" for 10 years at the local community college (where I will eventually pursue my RN at since I am alumni there from a previous degree and it's cheap), I essentially have 10 years to apply to their RN program. When I'm ready, I will. Otherwise, I'm taking the scenic route to an RN license while still loving my "day job" as a SAHM:)

Experienced nurse saying GO FOR IT.

And if you are undecided, talk to a few nurses or possibly shadow them. Also, you can become anOB nurse first, with the goal of being a midwife or NP later, if you choose. Experience at the bedside before you go for advanced practice is A GOOD THING!!!!

http://www.allnursingschools.com

good resource to find nursing schools, nationwide.

GOOD LUCK TO YOU ALL!

I'm in the same boat as you. I have a AA and have some classes to get a BA in communications. I stopped going to school when I got married (I hated school and was working making really good money w/o my BA so I figured that I was done w/ school). We had 2 boys and I became a SAHM 3 years ago.

Now that my little one is almost 3 I've decieded to go back to school and get my RN. That is what I wanted to do out of high school but got scared so I changed majors after a year in school.

I've been told that you can follow your dreams a little later in life. My neighbor (who earned her RN degree after teaching for a few years) told me that it can be done with little kids and that she actually did better in school after she went back. She said that she was more dedicated to it even with the extra stress of kids, husband, house payment, etc. A lot of the other nurses on this site have been wonderful in sharing their experiences w/ school and kids.

Hang in there. I know that with a little help and a lot of work we can finish school and full fill our dreams.

Good luck!

ERin

p.s. a lot of the times you see negative posts on this site, people are just venting after a bad day at work. I can't speak for everyone, but I'm sure that most of the people on this site love their job (most of the time) and wouldn't trade it for the world.

I am pre-nursing right now. I have been taking it a little bit at a time because I also have two little ones (4 and 17 mos.). I am a SAHM mom right now, so I've been working on the pre-reqs and will start nursing school (ADN) when they are a bit older.

I also had a change of career; I had completed a little over 3 years of bachelor's degree in English. I had been planning to teach (same thing, I thought that would be a great schedule with little ones) but then I got a part time job as a paraprofessional in an elementary school and saw that I could never do that long-term. My heart is in birth, babies, breastfeeding, so I'm on the right path, I think :)

I plan to be a L&D RN for a few years and then become a CNM.

I am pre-nursing right now. I have been taking it a little bit at a time because I also have two little ones (4 and 17 mos.). I am a SAHM mom right now, so I've been working on the pre-reqs and will start nursing school (ADN) when they are a bit older.

I also had a change of career; I had completed a little over 3 years of bachelor's degree in English. I had been planning to teach (same thing, I thought that would be a great schedule with little ones) but then I got a part time job as a paraprofessional in an elementary school and saw that I could never do that long-term. My heart is in birth, babies, breastfeeding, so I'm on the right path, I think :)

I plan to be a L&D RN for a few years and then become a CNM.

Wow, with the exception of our children's ages, you would have thought I wrote this:chuckle

--Marci

Hi there! I, too, am a SAHM of 3 (6,3, &1). I have a BS and have decided to go back and get my RN. I'm scared to crap but I'm totally excited. I've always wanted to be a LD nurse and I'll never know why I didn't just do it in the first place???!!!??? My sister is a nurse, my mom is a nurse, my cousins are nurses...... maybe that's why? Just wanted to do something different and look at me now....

Anyway, I just wanted to let you know you are not alone (obviously, all the girls here are pretty much in the same boat)!

MN pay is pretty good.... about $20-$30/hr. HTH's