[tantalus]

Water for pain relief works the same during contractions as you would find it useful during menstrual cramps....some women like it, some don't...the buoyancy of the water is also a factor, if the woman is in a proper birthing pool the 'weight' of her pregnancy is lifted and this often feels beneficial.

[RNMOMTO4]

Here's two more under "Complications"

Vesa Previa
Infant Loss

[4yrstogo]

I'm not an RN yet, but I thought I would add something. I do work for an adoption agency and one thing that happens often in our area is that nurses and hospital staff have no idea what to do in the case of a birthmother asking for information on placing the baby for adoption. Many women have no plans for adoption until they go into labor.

The problem in our area is that nurses take it upon themselves to find a friend or family member that "has been wanting to adopt". This is unethical and it shouldn't happen. My agency wrote a booklet to educate the hospitals on protocal and state regulations in the event a mother would like to initiate adoption plans.

I just figured it would be good to mention this as something that nurses can educate themselves on as it would not only include helping the mother find resources, but also dealing with adoptive parents and rooming-in, etc.

-lisa

[musicalnursynurse]

There are so many duties and responsibilities I feel it is one of the area where there is soo much nursing independance. Anyways aside from all the great responses here I might add RESPECT for the patients beliefs. I don't know how many times a patient has been "pushed" to breast feed when they where not interested. There is a line between teaching and bullying and though I am pro breast feeding I feel that the patients belifs and deires NEED to be respcted. (Just as the patient that wants to breast feed and a nurse throws a bottle in its mouth)

[sweetiehrt7985]

Wow you guys do a lot. I am fixing to go into nursing school and this area has interested me.

[RAIZIE]

Ok - OB nurses everywhere-
Are you ACLS certified?
Are you doing cardiac arrythmia monitoring on all post-op patients?

[nursejenrnc]

How about the ever fun Mag Sulfate infusion...
OR, even more enjoyable, management of Malignant Hyperthermia, or even more adrenaline producing... Amniotic Fluid Embolism... not that we manage any of these alone, or often, but we do need well honed skills to deal with all of them...

[danissa]

always confused about the difference in the states about OB nurses /Midwives. I am a midwife in the UK, who delivers the babies in the US?

[HappyNurse2005]

Ok - OB nurses everywhere-
Are you ACLS certified?
Are you doing cardiac arrythmia monitoring on all post-op patients?

I am. not all OB nurses are.
Yes. all post op patients are in the PACU after csection, and are on cardiac monitoring while in PACU. all PACU nurses are acls certified

[kathiecnm]

Ours is a very busy teriary care unit with 450+ births/month. You can add the skills of sterile speculum exams, amniotic fluid & fFN collection. Under coplications/other duties add incompetent cervix & cerclage placement.
Under education you can add mentoring ANIIs, GNs, new RNs, paramedics, residents & medical school students as well as immunization education prior to Hep B, Tdap & Influenza being offered to protect our vunerable newborns. WOW do we ever work hard!