Want to know positive and negative feedbacks about working in Maternity Unit

SmilingBluEyes · Oct 21, 2003

I could never possibly sum up all I feel about working as OB nurse for you. I love what I do. Yes, it's mostly happy....but when things go wrong they go BAD FAST....and tragic losses do occur whereby you have to be prepared to help families cope. You have to be very in touch with your own feelings regarding infant/pregnancy loss in order to cope with those experiencing such losses themselves. It is a highly litigious area of nursing, as you know------everyone expects sheer perfection regarding their birth experience and when it does not go as they wished, bitter disappointment (understandably) may follow. Be prepared for this high standard you are held to. Be prepared to take classes/seminars covering fetal heart monitoring and other perinatal concerns----get NRP cert as well. EVERY nursing doing ANYTHING with OB must have this training (also known as NALS).

One last thing I have to offer: Check back on archived threads here in OB/GYN nursing regarding "what it's like" .....there are many. Go with your heart and best wishes!!!

Dayray, RN · Oct 21, 2003

I, as usual agree with smiling, You can't begin to understand maternity nursing until you experience it on a day to day basis.

As nurse in this area you will experience every possible emotion on a regular basis. Sometimes you'll be so busy and concerned about your patients that you won't notice your emotions until it is all over and then they all hit you at once and are quite overwhelming.

You're philosophical, spiritual and emotional ideals will become very important and undergo change. You will also learn many medical throes, skills, and ideas these are very important but you'll have to balance them with less conventional subjects. You'll have autonomy and responsibility liken to that of an ICU nurse. You will develop highly technical and proficient skills.

But when you look up from all that stuff and realize that you get to see new life, at the very moment it comes into the world and that you actually have the opportunity to in some small way influence that life and that of it's parents, it's a very awesome thing. Scary at times, saddening , humbling (i could go on and on).

Take all of that and add on top of it the fact that everyone (especially other nurses) will think that all you do all day is rock babies and hold hands.

In thinking about weather or not to move into maternity ask your self if you really want to deal with such an important and personal part of other peoples lives. Some don't and you will hear some OB nurses say that they just do there job and don't get involved but I am not able to, nor would I want to be uninvolved. I think at least some small good comes from the extra things I do.

BETSRN · Oct 22, 2003

Where else can you be part of a miracle and part of the beginning of a true family unit? Everyone has already said most everything I would have said. When working in L&D you are responsible for two patients: one you can see and one you really cannot see. Are you ready for that? It's a great place to work. I woudn;t change for the world!

mother/babyRN, RN · Oct 22, 2003

I too, agree with Smiling Blue Eyes and Day Ray....I have to say that possibly the most difficult part for me to take is the lack of respect other areas of the hospital, supervisors and even the public occasionally portray....Maternity is not an easy place to work from the skill level alone...We are not "just " maternity nurses who assist and sometimes even birth babies..We are highly technically, professionally, personally and emotionally skilled nurses .....It can and is a wonderful field, but don't let ANY one fool you..When it's bad or tragic, multiply times 10....BAD BAD BAD and then thank goodness there is all that GOOD GOOD GOOD! It is a great area to start , become proficient in and love BUT you never stop learning and JUST when you think you have either heard or done it all, you haven't.....It can be a totally wild ride.....But just as satisfying too....

SmilingBluEyes · Oct 22, 2003

Rofl mother/baby you remind me of theother night...

we are in the processing of bringing ONLINE our MARS and pp assessments...it's been a BIG mess on the other floors/units.

Sooooo---the supe says, "should have started on OB---there is no acuity here and they are not busy".....

I coulda slapped the **** outa him. Told him "thanks a lot the the disrespect. You will eat those words"...

boy was I sorry to be right. In less than 2 hours, we had a 31 weeker wheeled in who we could not stop labor on...delivered her baby unable to breathe and w/a defect....

and no sooner than we got that mess going, a Pre-eclamptic is wheeled in w/pressures of 173/123...and liver enzymes/urine protein off charts.....a seizure/stroke waiting to happen, emerg csection...

we were soon so busy, the supe had to be our lab runner and phone answerer ---we were too busy handling the "lack of acuity" on the floor that night.

Yes riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiight. NO acuity in OB......Oh boy did I let that supe have it the next day....GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRRrr

so true...we are treated with a lot of disrespect in the hospital...they really DO think we rock babies all night long.

mother/babyRN, RN · Nov 20, 2003

I just saw your post Deb and am TOTALLY proud of you....I could just slap them silly sometimes.....I actually had someone laugh at me over the phone when I begged for some IV Lasix stat for someone who went into flash pulmonary edema cause of course that would NEVER happen in maternity, right????It just kills me ....THEN they float us because we know nothing and arent that busy BUT we are more technically qualified than most due to all the ACLS stuff we have to know....Just kills me....Glad you survived the night! I never trust those quiet nights because when the s*&^! hits the fan, it sure hits big! We are due to be slammed and we are just holding our breaths...YOU can identify with THAT I'm sure! Ever notice how scared to death supervisors look when called to the area of "low acuity" when something goes wrong?? Thats because they have no idea what to do in many cases.....

NurseMegA · Nov 20, 2003

I LOVE what I do. I love the fact that i get to be a part of such a special moment. I love seeing a couple become a family. It is so rewarding to help a mother who really wants to go natural go natural and avoid a medicated birth. It is really rewarding to help a pregnant lady go through a fetal demise in that maybe I was able to help her deal with the loss a little easier. It is rewarding to be a part of a neonatal resusitation that maybe that child with have a chance at life.

Yes there are some nights where acuity is low, when not alot is going on but there are equal number of nights when the $hit hits the fan and all hell breaks loose. The depressing moments are hard to deal with but it is rewarding just the same to try and help the families through their tring times.

webbiedebbie · Nov 20, 2003

A lot of other units think we have it easy. I'd like to see them walk in my shoes once in awhile. And, I have total respect for what they do...I don't think I could walk in their shoes.

lovewhatIdo · Nov 29, 2003

Greetings

There is a reason my post name is lovewhatIdo. It is because I work in L&D and would encourage anyone to give it a try if you are thinking of taking the plunge.

Pro's are numerous-as previously mentioned-seing new life, the autonomy and ability to do quite a lot of intervention without having to check with the physician. In otherwords, we get to use our brains/experience in a way that I havent found on other units-(except ER-I haven't worked ICU) You have to be prepared for anything. (which, I like that aspect) You do antepartum, labor and delivery, c-sections, newborns, nursery and triage. You have to know alot! And it is not boring or routine. Each labor is different and the potential for problems are always there-but there is nothing better that knowing that the nursing work that you did helped save a baby and/or mother's life. And for the times that dispite all and you still lost someone.you can be such a great source of comfort and strength.

It is usually a happy unit. Generally healthy young women.

Con's-As mentioned, when it goes bad, it goes bad. Had a mom the other day that had an abruption and uterine rupture. We lost the baby. Mom is ok now, but can never have anymore kids. Those situations are tough. Or when You have a healthy mom through and amniotic emboli and die. But you face death in most units in hospital.

You can see alot of dysfunction. It is amazing to me how we really don't have that many families that are intact, not drug addicted or some other major problem and that are stable loving and healthy. Of course, you can be very helpful in getting people plugged in to support/services etc, but it can be dishartening.

And yes, the disrespect from others that don't know what all we do. But it's ok, WE know and there is such deep satisfaction in that and no one can't take that away or diminish it.

Good luck in your search for place in nursing for now!!

LovewhatIdo:)

SmilingBluEyes · Nov 29, 2003

yep, we are "sistas" mother/baby lol. great posts, everyone! to the OP, best wishes on your career choice. I too love what I do....it's the best! even if it does get hairy at times.