What different areas are there in ob/gyn nursing??

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I know that there's L&D..do you get to take care of the cute babies in addition to helping out with lmothers going through labor? can you also go into surgery if youre in the L&D unit? what other units are there?

Also, do you often see new grads going straight into ob/gyn nursing? if so, what unit do they usually start off at? Thank you in advance! :lol2:

EDIT one more question..what do midwives do in the ob/gyn department? do they take on the same role as registered nurses, but just has more training and education? or do they have separate roles? when i go through my bsn program, will i get some exposure to the ob/gyn area? Thanks again!

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Post partum -- after care for mum and baby

Ante partum -- high risk mums (lots of monitoring, PIH, hyperemesis, multiple births)

Gyne -- repairs, terminations, cancer patients (if it involves a surgery of the female reproductive system she's on your unit) Need a lot of compassion on that unit. What do you say to a 35 yo mother of one with terminal ovarian cancer? (she was the wife of one of my husbands coworkers...)

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Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.
I know that there's L&D..do you get to take care of the cute babies in addition to helping out with lmothers going through labor? can you also go into surgery if youre in the L&D unit? what other units are there?

Also, do you often see new grads going straight into ob/gyn nursing? if so, what unit do they usually start off at? Thank you in advance! :lol2:

EDIT one more question..what do midwives do in the ob/gyn department? do they take on the same role as registered nurses, but just has more training and education? or do they have separate roles? when i go through my bsn program, will i get some exposure to the ob/gyn area? Thanks again!

I went right into OB/GYN after school. I do it all: Labor/delivery, postpartum, GYN surgical and level 2 nursery. The only thing I have not done is NICU. ( my hat is off to all NICU nurses).

Midwives (CNM) have *advanced* training beyond the BSN (the CNM holds a master's degree or higher) and are licensed to deliver primary care to well women throughout their life continuum, from menarche to menopause and beyond. They deliver babies, yes, but that is only PART of what they do. They manage well-woman care of all sorts, as well, from family planning/preconception care, to managing PMS/menstrual problems and menopause symptoms/problems.

In most states, they are also hold prescriptive authority. They are generally very well-versed in homeopathic and non-medical interventions and treatments, as well.

HTH.

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Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.

I forgot to say: In most large hospitals that have separate L/D and PP units, the new grad starts out in Mother-baby/Post partum first.

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Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.
Gyne -- repairs, terminations, cancer patients (if it involves a surgery of the female reproductive system she's on your unit) Need a lot of compassion on that unit. What do you say to a 35 yo mother of one with terminal ovarian cancer? (she was the wife of one of my husbands coworkers...)

Yes, compassion and a strong hold on one's own emotions and belief systems are critical for GYNE unit work. As for what you say? There is not much except "I am so sorry" and take it from there. Being geniune and available for support is the most important thing any professional (or friend for that matter) can do for such women enduring these losses/situations. Just never make the mistake of saying nothing at all.

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I went right into OB/GYN after school. I do it all: Labor/delivery, postpartum, GYN surgical and level 2 nursery. The only thing I have not done is NICU. ( my hat is off to all NICU nurses.

i would love to do what you do! are most of the hospitals this way? work in all areas? can you choose to not do NICU? it seems like i wouldnt be experienced or mature enough to go into that area right away after graduation anyways.. :uhoh21: what is level 2 nursey? is that taking care of babies?

im really interested in becoming a ob nurse..or an er nurse haha. such a big difference between the two :p

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Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.

Most hospitals are NOT this way, unfortunately. Especially the larger ones, expect to find separate L an D and PP units. Most larger units find it impractical to have LDRPs. But many smaller community hospitals do have LDRP units. Try for a smaller hospital, if that is what you are looking for. But remember, most smaller hospitals do not have NICU's either......that is the one area in which I do lack experience. I have no real desire to go there, either. It's enough for me to do Level 2 nursery....not my cup of tea, frankly.

Level 2 care of newborns is really limited to feeders-growers, babies on antibiotic therapy, sugar issues, bilirubin-phototherapy kiddos, and poor feeders/babies who are preterm (mostly 34-35 weeks and older). Really SICK babies (or those who are very premature) go to Level 3/NICU care. We are a "step down" from that level of care.

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Specializes in PERI OPERATIVE.

I work in a small hospital in the OB dept. We take L&D, PP, newborn care (sick babes go to a NICU in a different hospital), GYN post-ops. We also do monitoring of pre-term labor and other pregnancy related issues.

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I work in a small hospital in the OB dept. We take L&D, PP, newborn care (sick babes go to a NICU in a different hospital), GYN post-ops. We also do monitoring of pre-term labor and other pregnancy related issues.

ooh i like what you do too :p lucky you...

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so OB nurses who does not work with critical condition babies, mothers. do you deal with "gross" cases? like poo, pee, vomit, and whatevers there may be? ive read what goes on in ED, MED/SURG and some other areas and OH MY :uhoh21: i felt sick. i can deal with baby poop, pee and vomit..but are there any other "gross" part about an OB nurse' job that i should know about?

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Specializes in Geriatrics/Oncology/Psych/College Health.
so OB nurses who does not work with critical condition babies, mothers. do you deal with "gross" cases? like poo, pee, vomit, and whatevers there may be? ive read what goes on in ED, MED/SURG and some other areas and OH MY :uhoh21: i felt sick. i can deal with baby poop, pee and vomit..but are there any other "gross" part about an OB nurse' job that i should know about?

This seems to be a tremendous hurdle for you. Bottom line: you're going to have to deal with "gross" stuff in school at the very least. Anything that involves direct pt care is going to run the risk of encountering their body fluids. Any job that you get outside of a direct pt care area is going to almost assuredly require that you have a certain amount of bedside care experience as a prerequisite.

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i know that preg. women's water break, when they go into labor you will probably see blood? etc but you wont see rotting flesh, open wounds infested with maggots, etc. and i doubt that there are a lot of poo, pee and vomit cleaning to do unless that of the babies which i probably can handle =)

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