"personal delivery experience" when being a L&D nurse

capribry · Mar 10, 2006

I'm not a nurse yet but I believe so. You have been in that person's shoes before and might be able to understand a little bit more. Yeah the textbook is what people go by, but experience is much more better! Just my little 2 cents.

Tri · Mar 10, 2006

Hi
Just getting input - do you think having given birth is an advantage in being an L&D nurse? Did you share the fact that you had given birth when interviewing for L&D? Is it even relevant?
No of course it's not relavant.

SmilingBluEyes · Mar 10, 2006

An advantage, yes possibly. Relevant? Not necessarily. Really, one cannot let personal experiences completely prejudice his or her nursing care. That is a pitfall one must avoid.

However, that said, there is a flipside (isn't there always?).....The relevance may be in relaying how you would emulate the excellent traits of your best care providers...or what you would avoid about those with whom your experiences were not so hot. I think that highly relevant.....and you can expound on these as your strong points in an interview, really. Just be succinct and clear when doing so.

Remember, like said, you don't have to have had cancer to be a great oncology nurse.....same true for labor/delivery. Or else HOW could men be such EXCELLENT OB nurses?????

Keep an open mind....

SFCardiacRN · Mar 10, 2006

Having surgery has made me a much better OR nurse. I am more patient focused than I was before. Seeing things from the patient perspective should certainly improve your practice.

SmilingBluEyes · Mar 10, 2006

Yes I agree. But how to come across in an interview must be thought-out.

Jolie, BSN · Mar 10, 2006

Mentioning your own delivery experience(s) may open a can of worms you have not anticiapted.

It is not legal for an interviewer to ask about your marital status, children, living arrangements, health issues, etc. but if YOU bring them up, they become fair game. Be prepared to discuss how you will be able to attend work in the event of your children's illnesses, school obligations etc.

mccmaeve · Mar 10, 2006

not relevant, not an advantage, just another experience. your patients are individuals, their experiences are different from yours and each others. maybe it gives you some perspective, but the patients are probably not all that interested in hearing about your personal life. I doubt it 'makes you a better nurse'.

LandDRN · Mar 10, 2006

I think it is helpful as a nurse. I find it can be very calming in a circumstance when you have a hysterical laboring mom you are trying to give emotional support to when she screams "you have no idea what this is like " at you. I keep it simple and say that I have been there and truly understand and sympathize. I then suggest what was helpful to me in labor. It usually helps the mom to know that someone understands and also that what she's experiencing is normal and decreases fear since for some reason the growing trend around here is there must be something wrong if you're having pain during labor.

I also think my experience of losing a baby at 22 weeks has been extremely helpful. I usually volenteer to to the fetal demise inductions/births. I'm more sensitive then some of my counter parts (ex. someone I work with brought the baby to the bedside in a blue sterile towel so it "wouldn't mess up one of our blankets." I always swaddle the baby in a real baby blanket, put on a hat and bring the baby in in a regular bassinet. It's still their baby and deserves to be treated in some respects as any other living baby.) I also have a great idea of what to say and not to say to these parents. ( I had a very sweet and well meaning nurse tell me " you got pregnant very quickly. You should be able to have another easily." well meaning but not soothing at the time. I can never "replace" that child.)

As far as telling it in an interview, I'm not sure. Our facility is not very "family friendly". They seem to get offended if we acknowledge a life or responsibilities outside or job. Calling in sick to take your child to the doctor is not received AT ALL at my job.

MS Kathy · Mar 11, 2006

I don't know about personal experience- but I think it would be odd to say "Hey I've had 3 kids" during an interview. I'm still a student, but I just finished Maternal-Newborn. The most helpful part for me was my experience in listening to other women's experiences over the last 8 years. I didn't get that experience as a nurse, but as a volunteer breastfeeding counselor. I really think that being able to understand that there are literally millions of experiences and circumstances that can vary from *my* personal births was the most helpful frame of mind for me.

Kathy

Mrs.S · Mar 12, 2006

I think it's relevant. It helps you realize the impact you can potentially have on your patients, being involved in this intense part of their life. It was the birth of my first child that made me want to go into L&D as an RN, and piqued my interest in pregnancy and birth in general. I had such an amazing experience and that was due in part to the nurses who took care of me, who I will always remember. I think that affects the care I give my patients.

I did mention this in my interview, when they asked "why L&D?"

LoveMyBugs, BSN, CNA, RN · Mar 12, 2006

I am not a nurse yet awaiting acceptance to school. It is from the birth of my first son that drew me into becoming a nurse. He was born two months early, because I had toxima and I had rapidly gotten worse. It was the nurses that provided such wonderful care to my son and me that I decided that I wanted to be able to provide the same compassion to others. So I think that it has an inpact, but it is also the same if you have had family members with cancer, or major surgery, then you may be drawn to med/surg or oncology.