specialize in L and D anesthesia? if so , previous experience as L ?and D nurse

dreamMaker · Jun 14, 2009

L and D experience isn't required if you hope to work in OB anesthesia. You will get the OB experience you need in anesthesia school because it's built into the program. Some people do specialize but I wouldn't recommend doing a narrow specialization right out of the gate. Anesthesia school gives you enough experience to be competent, but not enough to give you the necessary seasoning that comes with years of experience. I say that even though I am doing primarily OB anesthesia myself after being in the general OR for only two years after graduating, but I am keeping my OR skills up by continuing to do part time work at another hospital.

The primarily OB work is great, but mostly epidurals and spinals, and I would feel very uncomfortable during the occasional crash c-section if I hadn't done a lot of general anesthesia before coming to this job a few months ago. So if you're really looking to do OB anesthesia, I'd recommend going to a general OR with a wide variety of cases right out of school, but do it at a hospital that also lets you do spinals and epidurals. Do that for awhile and you'll be well-equipped to do OB anesthesia next. Even then, I'd still recommend continuing to do some general OR work to keep your skills up.

thekid · Jun 14, 2009

Thank you..would definitely like to keep the skills up in general OR and remain as flexible and marketable as possible. Thanks for posting..

dreamMaker · Jun 14, 2009

No problem. If you have any questions about OB anesthesia, please let me know. I love my job and don't mind talking about it!

Qwiigley, BSN, MSN, DNP, RN, CRNA · Jun 14, 2009

Anesthesia can get boring, like anything else. Keep your doors open and the thrill alive. 30 years of OB will get very dull.