Which way to go?

SmilingBluEyes · Apr 8, 2006

I have some thoughts for you but being I just got off a long night shift, need time to regroup and get back to you. Just wanted to welcome you to our forum and glad you found us. If anyone else cares to jump in, please do!

stamperRN · Apr 8, 2006

Thanks, go get some sleep!

stamperRN · Apr 11, 2006

I am just sending the message up again to see if I can get any advice. . .thanks!

SmilingBluEyes · Apr 12, 2006

Really I want you to do some serious reflecting: what is your long-term goal in nursing?

I think you need to really look into the next 5 or 10 years and decide what you might want to do. That will guide you more.

Getting your RN,C in inpatient OB is a VERY good idea. But if you wish to teach or do much of anything besides bedside care, you might consider advancing to a Master's degree----esp if you wish to do advanced care nursing or the like.

In the meantime, yes, I would get my inpatient cert, no matter what you plan in the future. Can't possibly hurt and may even net you a pay raise, if you hospital is like some.

But do really try and envision what you want to do with your career in the future and let that be your guide.

GOOD LUCK-----from one military spouse to another, it's not a bad idea to take care of yourself and have your career for yourself. The future can be so uncertain for us. Take care.

kimrncnm, RN, CNM · Apr 18, 2006

I would just add that if midwifery is really where your interest lies, there are jobs out there where you only work certain hours/shifts/ etc. Worth checking into if CNM is what you really want to do ;-)

Of course in the meantime get your RNC...it will validate the knowledge you possess and your experience.

Kim CNM

Selke · Apr 19, 2006

Hello all,
Right now I live in the D.C. area, I am a military wife and mom to two preschoolers. I am working PRN, very few hours. I wanted to take this time while I was not working so much to further my education. I am thinking along many different lines and not sure which way to go.
Obtain RNC for impatient obstetrics? (I have been searching for a reading list)
Perhaps doula certification (If I really think about it I probably lean more towards non intervention in the birthing process, but right now I am rather limited by the practice of the doctors that are at my hospital)
Perhaps a Master's Degree of some sort . . . .
I would love to be a midwife, but I know right now I don't want to devote the time to actually being a midwife, I would love to have the knowledge base, but don't want to be working full time. I know I would get very attached to my patients and spend lots of time away from my family to assist in their deliveries.
ANY advice or comments would be very helpful, thanks!
Kristina

I repeat and endorse the suggestions to get your RNC, and to look at where you want to be 5 years from now. The places which give the certification test have study guides and reading lists, I think. Also look at taking the EFM subspecialty certification exam (I'm taking it this year.) Any doula or labor support classes are indispensible. They teach you the "midwife" bag of tricks. Check out Penny Simkins and Polly Perez ... they have websites and books and give workshops. Find a doula course in your area; one can usually take a workshop or two at a time from them if you can't commit to an entire course.

It sounds like you want an MSN one way or another, which is a great goal. Think about where you'll be living in the next 5 years. I'd suggest looking into graduate programs where you are, or where you anticipate living, esp. programs with midwifery. Also look into distance programs. Many non-clinical MSN courses are the same for any nursing specialty you wind up doing. Schools will accept some classes for transfer credit. I'd suggest start taking these classes while you decide what to do with a specialty. Can you get your tuition paid if your spouse is in the military?

As someone else said, there are CNM jobs which are part time. Speaking from experience, go with your gut and study what you really, really want to do and don't let other people discourage you like I did. Go with your heart. There are many options in midwifery. You can also learn about computer systems and IT in health care. There are graduate programs that have courses in that -- IT and IS are expanding exponentially in health care. You can learn about IT as well as midwifery. If you are computer savvy you could carve quite a niche for yourself with IT, research, documentation, midwifery, databases, &c &c &c. I think ACNM and maybe NARM are involved in data collection, databases, benchmarking, &c on midwifery practice and there must be need for people to take charge of and expand on projects like these.

Wishing you the best of luck!

J'sGirl82 · Apr 19, 2006

Really I want you to do some serious reflecting: what is your long-term goal in nursing?
I think you need to really look into the next 5 or 10 years and decide what you might want to do. That will guide you more.
Getting your RN,C in inpatient OB is a VERY good idea. But if you wish to teach or do much of anything besides bedside care, you might consider advancing to a Master's degree----esp if you wish to do advanced care nursing or the like.
In the meantime, yes, I would get my inpatient cert, no matter what you plan in the future. Can't possibly hurt and may even net you a pay raise, if you hospital is like some.
But do really try and envision what you want to do with your career in the future and let that be your guide.
GOOD LUCK-----from one military spouse to another, it's not a bad idea to take care of yourself and have your career for yourself. The future can be so uncertain for us. Take care.

I certainly couldn't have said it better. Do it now, while you can, before you all get PCS'ed. Good luck!!!!!!!!!!!

Selke · Apr 21, 2006

Here's a website I just found with study guides and practice tests for the OB RN-C specialty exams:

http://www.ccprnet.org/