Why I think L&D nursing really is best and hardest

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I know this is probably going to make some other specialty nurses mad, but that's okay- this is our forum :). I respect all nurses, God knows I wouldn't want to do anything but L&D. Sick and/or old people, ng tubes, pressure ulcers, no thanks! I know every nurse thinks that their field is the hardest, but I'm going to put up an argument (in a fun way, this is not to be demeaning), as to why I think L&D nursing is the most challenging.

First, and most importantly I think, is that only a L&D nurse can do L&D nursing. One cannot simply float from another floor and perform no matter how many years experience one has in nursing. Now sure others can deliver a precip delivery, heck those babies deliver themselves! I'm not saying one cannot learn L&D, because that is just silly. I'm just saying that you cannot throw a nurse on our floor and expect them to be okay. On the contrary, I am confident that I could go anywhere in this hospital and perform in a capable way. Sure there would be some things I'd need to ask about, but for the most part I could nurse independantly. As L&D nurses, we are capable of scrubbing, circulating, multi-tasking, prioritizing, administering high risk drugs, handling emergencies, giving blood, handling psych patients, and dealing with difficult family members (haha).

Next, we are masters of charting! With the exception of ICU nurses and other patient's I probably do not even know of, we are the only specialty that must chart on our patients every 15 minutes, while performing hands-on nursing, and usually do it in multiple systems.

Lastly, we have babies! We are there for the beginning of a new life, and sometimes the end of a life. We get to work autonomously and make the experience of childbirth an amazing experience while keeping our patient calm and maintaining our own calmness- even in emergencies. It's amazing.

I love my job :) And L&D nurses are the best! Now please tell me why you think your nursing field is the best!

Good to see you here SBE. And Elvish.

I was also a labor and delivery nurse and we did postpartum as well. I do not miss it. I've been asked more than once to come back due to inadequate staffing but I always say no.

Each speciality has its own challenges and rewards and frustrations.

I worked in a small rural hospital where we did everything - ER, L&D, PP, pre-op, post-op, wound care, etc. The only surgery experience I had was as the baby nurse in cesarean deliveries.

So yeah, I could sort of help out by floating in another speciality but I'd be doing basic care for the most part I think.

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Specializes in L and D.

I see what you guys mean. I guess it's hard for me to separate my previous knowledge from my LD knowledge. It's easy to forget that others dont have my background where i had to be the jack of all trades. I truly did not want this to be something ugly. I just wanted people to share why they thought what they did was the best. A morale boost i suppose. We hear a lot of negativity about the hardships of nursing and what not. I was trying to be fun and stir conversation in a playful way. Obviously that doesnt fly around here because so many are wound up tight and defensive.

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Specializes in Nurse Leader specializing in Labor & Delivery.
I was trying to be fun and stir conversation in a playful way. Obviously that doesnt fly around here because so many are wound up tight and defensive.

That's not fair. How about instead of blaming everyone's reactions on people being wound up tight, you just own that you worded it poorly and move on?

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Specializes in L and D.

Im not blaming anybody, i did apologize and "own up" but it doesnt matter what i say at this point because you are still going to be defensive. I dont think i did anything wrong, but i also dont want to argue so with that being said, im done.

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Im not blaming anybody, i did apologize and "own up" but it doesnt matter what i say at this point because you are still going to be defensive. I dont think i did anything wrong, but i also dont want to argue so with that being said, im done.

Hi - I thought your first post was a bit confusing as to what you were trying to accomplish but I understand now what your meaning truly was. It is hard on the internet sometimes as we get misunderstood or we say things that make it easy to be misunderstood.

This is your thread. If you want to be finished with it, you can ask a moderator to close it.

Personally, as I mentioned, in a small rural hospital you have to be a jack of all trades and master of none. ;) I learned a lot that way though and I'm grateful for that education. Makes it a bit easier to transition into other specialities.

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Specializes in Critical Care, Postpartum.

I dealt with emergencies, administering blood products, dealing with behavior health patients, multitasking all the time on my progressive care unit. We had new techs quit within days, and everyone knew if you can make it there you can make it anywhere. It was a hard unit for me and glad I was able to make it there a year.

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Specializes in Med-Surg, NICU.

I work as a tech in antepartum, so I'm in and out of L/D all the time. I honestly can't stand this attitude that too many L/D nurses have...they are the doo-doo and that it doesn't stink.

First, while L/D has it challenges, too often when I see L/D nurses float onto the high-risk unit, many of them are clueless about basic med/surg skills (one nurse couldn't seem to figure out carb counts on her own and another could barely perform basic wound care), and most have a difficult time juggling five, six patients at time, whereas the nurses on most other units outside of L/D and ICU can run circles around them while caring for a high patient load. Most of the L/D nurses I have encountered would be CLUELESS in burn units, ortho, renal/dialysis, cardiac, psyche and other specialty floors, including ICU floors.

I think it is really dangerous for you to assume that you can do it all and be perfectly competent on other floors. I would bet 100 dollars that you aren't, so please don't disrespect other nurses and their specialties.

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That's the point of the the thread really, is to let everyone talk about their specialties and why it is the hardest or the greatest. I did not disrespect other fields of nursing, just stated why i think L&d is. I anyone to join in and describe why you think your field is the hardest or most rewarding, for ME its l&d.

No one specialty is the "hardest or greatest". Every specialty has their own unique challenges and perks. I'm happy you love L/D but you are delusional. I would love to see how well you do taking back a fresh heart patient on CVICU or handling multiple patients in the ED or being charge nurse of a 60 bed LTC unit. All of these things I've had the pleasure of doing which makes me understanding that each specialty requires a nurse that is competent.

You will not survive nursing with your current attitude. Oh and BTW- I have known nurses that float from L and D to postpartum that could barely survive the shift.

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Specializes in NICU, PICU, PACU.

I have to agree that every speciality has it's best and hardest part. But to say you can go into any situation or unit and be able to function efficiently is a bit foolhardy. Come over the NICU for a shift, it is a whole different world. I have floated and worked other floors and while I have many skills it was a struggle to keep up. Glad you love your job though!

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Specializes in L&D; Post-Op Med/Surg.

Man did you stir up a hornets nest. I knew it would which is why I read the posts so I could see THE CLAWS COME OUT! And never fail, they did! It's like listening to a conservative talk radio show. Or it's like watching Jerry Springer. Ha ha. If only patients read this stuff then they'd be wondering what kind of people are taking care of them. I love it! Let's hear some more, but wait, let me go grab the popcorn, I didn't realize it was the UFC up in here!

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Specializes in L and D.

I really didnt want catfights, i wanted passion, and i guess i've found it, just not in a way i would have thought. My expectations were for people to tell me why THEY have the greatest job and why. None of you know me, my skillset, or my background so i understand that you think i am delusional. that is fine. Think of me whatever you will. But as i said before, if you dont think what you are doing now is the best, then you need to find the best.

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Specializes in L&D; Post-Op Med/Surg.
I really didnt want catfights, i wanted passion, and i guess i've found it, just not in a way i would have thought. My expectations were for people to tell me why THEY have the greatest job and why. None of you know me, my skillset, or my background so i understand that you think i am delusional. that is fine. Think of me whatever you will. But as i said before, if you dont think what you are doing now is the best, then you need to find the best.

You would think that with a group of "moral, adult, professionals" you could get passionate, noncatfights, but like I said...it's Jerry Springer time! Woot! Woot! Ha ha.

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