Want to move into L&D/M&B...should I?

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Specializes in Cardiac.

I have to condense my question as Im off to work...but in a Nutshell I work on a very very hectic Cardiac step-down, we have up to 6 patients and half of them are fresh from the ICU, multiple drips, procedures...monitoring...lots of VT and CPR and all that fun stuff. Our floor is a Cardiology "hub" so we are busy, busy, busy. Now, I had planned to stay in Cardiology but what got me into Nursing originally was wanting to be a Midwife or L&D Nurse....I always found maternity Nursing incredibly interesting and I wanted to help women and families during such an important time in their life! But...thought Nursing School I found I had a knack for Cardiology and fresh from School L&D was impossible to get into...so a plum job in Cardiology landed at my feet and I grabbed it.

Anyway...recently we have had a LOT of changes...a LOT of staff leaving and we are so short staffed its heart breaking and not safe....work is now just so stressful. A few nights ago there were just us 3 Nurses with no PCT or HUC and half of our patients required pretty frequent attention, one was bleeding internally and externally from a Cath insertion site gone awray and bedside surgery was required...so anyway Ive decided I may look and see if anything is available in L&D or M&B.

Do you think moving to such a different speciality will be too difficulty? whats the turn over rate like? whats the staffing ratios like? whats the typical shift like?

I had considered C-ICU but dont know if I want to stay in Cardiac per se anymore.

Thank you

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It really depends on what size hospital you would want to work in. In larger, busier hospitals, it can be very hectic. You have a labor patient or two, and when they deliver, you recover them and get another. If you do Mother/Baby, you can have an number of couplets (CA max is 4, I think) I've had as many as 6 when we're short staffed. In smaller hospitals, usually it's a nicer pace with lower risk patients. I currently work in an LDRP unit where we do L&D and M/B. I usually have about 3 couplets if I'm working postpartum and 1 labor if I'm doing L&D with 2-4 nurses staffed depending on acuity. But in the small unit, we don't have any aides, so when it gets really busy we get moving and the shift passes quickly.

Have you looked into cross training in mother/baby at your current hospital to see if you can float over once in a while? Test the waters. Also, I'd look into taking an NRP and STABLE class.

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Specializes in Critical Care, Postpartum.

I transferred to Mother/Baby from an ICU stepdown (with majority of the patients being cardiac) over a year a go and still couldn't be happier with that decision. I personally never desired to go into L&D, especially knowing it could be just as stressful as my previous cardiac floor. I work at a very busy large women's hospital which means I'm busy on my floor. However this busy is much manageable than my previous unit. My hospital is way too large to be an LDRP.

I went from taking care of 4-5 patients on Stepdown to 6-7 on M/B. But, I'm passing 1-2 meds per patient verses 10 per patient on stepdown. We don't do couplet care (thankfully) and the unit is quiet and happy. You may be initially bored because you're so use to constantly being on your feet non-stop, but you'll eventually get over that.

Any my opportunities you have, apply.

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Specializes in Cardiac.

Thanks for the input! iPink...looks like you came from the same situation as I am in...its pretty intense....oooh 'Happiness"...!!! *smile*

I transferred to Mother/Baby from an ICU stepdown (with majority of the patients being cardiac) over a year a go and still couldn't be happier with that decision. I personally never desired to go into L&D, especially knowing it could be just as stressful as my previous cardiac floor. I work at a very busy large women's hospital which means I'm busy on my floor. However this busy is much manageable than my previous unit. My hospital is way too large to be an LDRP.

I went from taking care of 4-5 patients on Stepdown to 6-7 on M/B. But, I'm passing 1-2 meds per patient verses 10 per patient on stepdown. We don't do couplet care (thankfully) and the unit is quiet and happy. You may be initially bored because you're so use to constantly being on your feet non-stop, but you'll eventually get over that.

Any my opportunities you have, apply.

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