[BabyRN2Be]

I've been reading a lot of birth plans on the web - the one I use with my clients has been currently hijacked by my computer. I know that I include this question on my birth plan about students (nursing and residents) in the room during L&D. Usually it states, "I request that no students be involved in my care." I've found that in my private doula practice I haven't run into anyone having problems regarding this preference. In the hospital, since most of the pts are Medicaid, usually they don't get a choice.

I'm just wondering, if you are in a teaching hospital, have you had any problems with pts refusing to have students in with them and how is this handled? I know that if I had private insurance, I probably would not want to have students. Yes, I know they need to learn somehow but with this issue I need to draw a line. Now, if I was a Medicaid pt, I don't think I'd have a choice and wouldn't question the issue.

How is this handled?

[michelle126]

Originally Posted by BabyRN2Be

I've been reading a lot of birth plans on the web - the one I use with my clients has been currently hijacked by my computer. I know that I include this question on my birth plan about students (nursing and residents) in the room during L&D. Usually it states, "I request that no students be involved in my care." I've found that in my private doula practice I haven't run into anyone having problems regarding this preference. In the hospital, since most of the pts are Medicaid, usually they don't get a choice.

I'm just wondering, if you are in a teaching hospital, have you had any problems with pts refusing to have students in with them and how is this handled? I know that if I had private insurance, I probably would not want to have students. Yes, I know they need to learn somehow but with this issue I need to draw a line. Now, if I was a Medicaid pt, I don't think I'd have a choice and wouldn't question the issue.

How is this handled?

I wouldn't have minded students during my birth (unless it turned into a circus)..Why would a pts payor status have any significant in determining if students are aloud to observe/ learn???? Is a medicaid pt different from a private pay or insurance pay patient?

[ayndim]

Originally Posted by BabyRN2Be

I've been reading a lot of birth plans on the web - the one I use with my clients has been currently hijacked by my computer. I know that I include this question on my birth plan about students (nursing and residents) in the room during L&D. Usually it states, "I request that no students be involved in my care." I've found that in my private doula practice I haven't run into anyone having problems regarding this preference. In the hospital, since most of the pts are Medicaid, usually they don't get a choice.

I'm just wondering, if you are in a teaching hospital, have you had any problems with pts refusing to have students in with them and how is this handled? I know that if I had private insurance, I probably would not want to have students. Yes, I know they need to learn somehow but with this issue I need to draw a line. Now, if I was a Medicaid pt, I don't think I'd have a choice and wouldn't question the issue.

How is this handled?

I don't think a hospital can discrimnate that way. You don't lose your rights because you have medicaid. A woman can still refuse anyone they want. Of course, if they have no dr they may get a resident. The hospital isn't footing the bill in exchange for allowing students.

I personally don't mind students as long as they are female. I had a student nurse with #2. She was great. She was also a doula before she was a student nurse.

[Energizer Bunny]

I wouldn't mind students no matter what sex. And I don't even think I would mind if there were a few of them as long as they weren't crowding out mine or my husband's view of what was going on.

I also don't think that a hospital can discriminate that way. EVERY patient has rights.

[NewEnglandRN]

With my first child, I would not have been comfortable with students observing the birth. However, after having three babies, I would welcome the opportunity for a student to share in such an incredible experience!

It's a very individual decision.

Michelle

[SmilingBluEyes]

EVERYONE, including medicaid and self-pay patients, is ENTITLED to refuse student participation in her birth experience. ALL NON-essential people can be refused by anyone at any time of a patient's choosing. I always ask permission for allowing students in any birth situation. In the event a family refuses, then no students are allowed in, no questions asked.

That said, for my planned csection of my dd, (she was breech), I had a student doing her OB case study report on me from my alma mater and a room full of students of all sorts, medical, nursing and laboratory. NO problem letting them in; we all need that chance as students to have that experience. My case was an "open book" as it were, to anyone willing to come in. One DID faint, unfortunately----- and all laughed when the doctor opened me up and my daughter's butt popped out first; I said, yep that is my girl, ALLLLL attitude. And so it is how she is!!!

[hmccartn]

i think its important to point out though, that most students arent left alone to manage a patient. not when i was a labour and delivery student last year anyways... we were teamed with a buddy nurse and they would double check our findings when reading the tracings or what not... during our whole summer rotation there was only one patient who didnt want students.. but she was also giving the doc intructions about where she wanted her c section incision so she could still wear a bikini, so i dont think she is representative of the whole..hahaha...

[camay1221_RN]

I used to work PP at a teaching hospital, that also happened to be the one I had my children.
With my 1st child, I was just out of school, so I didn't know who was who in my room. However, I did have a wonderful med student, Mike, who helped me with counting and holding one of my legs, while pushing. Husband on the other leg. I even threw up on the guy and he took it all in stride! He was great.

My 2nd, I was working there, and during my pregancy, I took care of a pt who requested no one in her room before 7am. She was two days PP, so she had already had her PP labs done the morning before, so her request was appropriate. With that, I hung a sign on her door with her request. This particular time, I was doubling back, and worked the day shift, so I had her the next morning. During report, one of the male med students came in and asked who was taking care of the pt in E338. I told him I was. He asked, "What does this mean?" as he held up the sign that was posted on her door. I told him, "Well, I think it means what it says, no one in the room before 7am," Now mind you, it was already 6:45, so you think this doofus could have gone and done some charting or seen anther pt in that time. But no, against my instructions and the pts wishes, he went in anyway! As a result of this, when I delivered my 2nd child, I told the students they were more than welcome to be in the delivery room with me, however, if at any time they did not respect my wishes, they were gone! Also, because I worked there, I requested no 1st year residents, because we had a real winner of a group that time, and I didn't want any of them near me! I delivered my 2nd fast, my OB hardly made it in time, so seeking out the student was not a conideration.
With my 3rd, I also told the med students my requests, and one of them, female, said to me, "Well, there are somethings we have to do because we have to report to the residents." I told her she didn't need to bother doing the H&P because my priority was my delivery and my baby, not what she had to do for the residents!

Sorry, that was long! You have the right to say no! Don't hesitate to do it!

[julieK]

My feeling is that if you go to a teaching hospital as a patient, you are receiving the benefit of going to a superior institution, and part of that includes the acceptance of students' participating in your care.

-Julie

[SmilingBluEyes]

Originally Posted by julieK

My feeling is that if you go to a teaching hospital as a patient, you are receiving the benefit of going to a superior institution, and part of that includes the acceptance of students' participating in your care.

-Julie

Ah but teaching hospitals are not always superior, in my experience, and I maintain my right to refuse the participation of anyone not directly involved in my care. As an aside, I have been a patient at a teaching hospital and had less than a stellar experience with it. JMO....as a nurse who works in a community hospital, anyhow.