What do I think about L & D?

My past few shifts have been crazy, but I love it. I have been, literally, up to my elbow in babies.

I've been able to practice lots of my skills, and slowly delve into the world of labor support. I was going to take pictures of my war wounds from being labor support during a precipitous birth (the baby came too fast for an epidural), but our camera was out of batteries.

One thing I hadn't anticipated was all of the paperwork and charting involved in labor and delivery care -- I think I have as much to learn about THAT as I do about how to be a great nurse at the bedside.

I'm learning so much from my preceptor, though. She does a great job of labor support, which I felt was really missing from my previous clinical experience in OB. And, she's supportive of me and my comfort level.

I still have to condition myself to the twelve-hour shifts. All in all, though, it's incredibly challenging, an adrenaline rush (I think I've finally got the shaking under control), and extremely rewarding when things go well. I cannot wait to see how much more I have to learn during this experience!

Day 1 is tomorrow!

I met my preceptor for coffee today, and I'm even more excited than I already was about my summer clinical in labor and delivery. I really liked her. She seems super nice, and excited to teach.

She's even going to let me practice starting an IV on her, so she could also be a saint. Or maybe a martyr, because she'll be suffering so that my future patients don't have to.

Oh, and I start TOMORROW.

I've never been so excited to work weekends!

Summer Update

Hawaii was wonderful. I went paddling in the Pacific Ocean in an outrigger canoe, helped plant some pineapples, spent every day at the beach, went snorkeling, got a ridiculously funny-looking tan line, and had papaya for breakfast almost every morning.

I also found out more information about my preceptorship!

I'll definitely be in labor and delivery. (Yay!)

The rest is still kind of up in the air -- but I should tentatively be on 12 hour day shifts at St. Joseph's hospital. Our first day of summer classes is tomorrow, so hopefully I'll find out more then.