Re: Calling all OB Nurses........

[Guest guest]

Ann, you have a lot of great med-surg experience that will come in very handy. I worked ortho-neuro ICU before I switched to OB. Find yourself a great OB resource book (I like Oxhorn's Human Labor and Birth..it was my bible,) and just be receptive to learning and have fun.

ARe you starting in L & D or postpartum?

Laurie

[Guest guest]

Laurie,

Thank you for your rapid reply! I didn't expect to see anything for

a couple of days. I will be starting in L & D. I will definitely get a

good resource book. Thank you for giving me the name of the book that

you use/used. I am sure I will be on this site quite often. I just

hope I don't ask you all too many questions!

Thanks,

Ann

[Guest guest]

>I have been told that OB is very >difficult to learn and that >it will take a great deal of time >to become comfortable

Labor and delivery seems to be something that people love or hate. I think part of it is that you never know what is going to happen next. Some people are more comfortable with this than others. I have also heard people say they want to work L & D because it is a "happy place". It is not always a happy place, it fact it is often downright sad. Then of course, you always have at least two patients to care for, one of which you can't see and have to depend on your fingertips and your interpretation of chicken scratch on a machine print-out to determine the well being of the unseen patient. You are responsible for the brain cells of at least three people all the time (the mom, the baby, and yours). Multiply that by 2-3 patients per nurse, sometimes add a doctor, or multiple gestations and that is your basic patient load. If your hospital has a high percentage of patients getting epidurals, you also have to be strong. At our hospital the vast majority of our patients are essentially paraplegics due to epidural use. At a moments notice, you may have to flip that 350 pound woman all over the bed and then unhook everything and push mom, bed, and IV at a dead run to the OR for an emergency C/S (hopefully there are about 4-5 other people helping you by the time the dead run part comes.)

Then there's the docs, but I'm sure those are basically the same as in other fields. Oh yes, throw in the politics of medical care, both national and those of your local hospital, and that is basically what labor and delivery is.

All that said, I can't imagine doing anything else. I think I was born to care for laboring patients. In fact, my "specialty" is perinatal loss (talk about a glutton for punishment). Labor and delivery involves any emotion you can think of. You become a part of the intimate history of a family. Sometimes that history is sweet, tender, and lovely. Sometimes it is very ugly (and the ugly is not always the "dead baby" part). One of the most touching, loving, and peaceful "passings" I ever witnessed was the death of a baby with a lethal anomaly who was surrounded by the love of his family. He was tenderly held, kissed and passed from the arms of one family member to another, until he eventually passed into the arms of God.

It is a roller coaster ride. Some people love it, some people hate it, and there is usually no middle ground.

All I can say is give it a try, you just may be one of those roller coaster people.

Good Luck,

Deb

"The fingerprint of God is often a paw print." Chernak McElroy

[Guest guest]

-Hi I'm new to this group. I found it while setting up a yahoogroup

for staff communication for our L & D. Which by the way works great! I

have been an L & D nurse at a large hospital for 15 years and I just

wanted to add to Deb's acurate take on L & D. I have only worked at

the one hospital and would like to hear if everyone have similar

situations. 1)Give yourself time! When I first started someone told

me not to give up until about a year went by. Then if I still

couldn't do it maybe it was time to move on. Don't be hard on

yourself it takes about that much time. 2)Always ask questions! If

your L & D is like ours we don't like people coming in thinking they

have all the answers. But we do have respect for someone who will

say I need help! We have a great gang with lots of experience and we

still rely on each other! 3)Don't be meek or wear you feelings on

your sleeve.I think most L & D nurses have pretty strong out spoken

personalities.We have to get things done fast and we don't beat

around the bush. We talk straight and it comes across as being hard

sometimes. I hope you enjoy L & D it is hard but very rewarding. At

our hospital most of us have been there a long time! We work hard

together and trust each other!In an emergency we get things done

with a minimum of time and fuss. We fight and we make up! It's like

a wonderful group of sisters! Have fun in your new job!

-- In OBnurses , " Deb " <mahjafo@c...> wrote:

> >I have been told that OB is very >difficult to learn and that

> >it will take a great deal of time >to become comfortable

>

> Labor and delivery seems to be something that people love or

hate. I think part of it is that you never know what is going to

happen next. Some people are more comfortable with this than

others. I have also heard people say they want to work L & D because

it is a " happy place " . It is not always a happy place, it fact it

is often downright sad. Then of course, you always have at least

two patients to care for, one of which you can't see and have to

depend on your fingertips and your interpretation of chicken scratch

on a machine print-out to determine the well being of the unseen

patient. You are responsible for the brain cells of at least three

people all the time (the mom, the baby, and yours). Multiply that

by 2-3 patients per nurse, sometimes add a doctor, or multiple

gestations and that is your basic patient load. If your hospital

has a high percentage of patients getting epidurals, you also have

to be strong. At our hospital the vast majority of our patients are

essentially paraplegics due to epidural use. At a moments notice,

you may have to flip that 350 pound woman all over the bed and then

unhook everything and push mom, bed, and IV at a dead run to the OR

for an emergency C/S (hopefully there are about 4-5 other people

helping you by the time the dead run part comes.)

> Then there's the docs, but I'm sure those are basically the same

as in other fields. Oh yes, throw in the politics of medical care,

both national and those of your local hospital, and that is

basically what labor and delivery is.

> All that said, I can't imagine doing anything else. I think I was

born to care for laboring patients. In fact, my " specialty " is

perinatal loss (talk about a glutton for punishment). Labor and

delivery involves any emotion you can think of. You become a part of

the intimate history of a family. Sometimes that history is sweet,

tender, and lovely. Sometimes it is very ugly (and the ugly is not

always the " dead baby " part). One of the most touching, loving,

and peaceful " passings " I ever witnessed was the death of a baby

with a lethal anomaly who was surrounded by the love of his family.

He was tenderly held, kissed and passed from the arms of one family

member to another, until he eventually passed into the arms of God.

> It is a roller coaster ride. Some people love it, some people

hate it, and there is usually no middle ground.

> All I can say is give it a try, you just may be one of those

roller coaster people.

> Good Luck,

> Deb

> " The fingerprint of God is often a paw print. "

> Chernak McElroy