[crawlyberry]

Hi I am a new nurse, and would like to know what exactly is the correct way to prep the patient's stomach? It seems everyone has their own technique. Don't want to learn the wrong one. Thanks.

[burn out]

I don't see this as much an abuse issue as a competentcy issue. The op admits that this was only her 5th time doing this and had been shown several different ways to do so. I too would have probably been ill tempered if I were with someone performing the procedure wrong not realizing that they were "new'..and even then when do they stop being "new". The doctor in this case was at least caring enough to come back and talk the situation over with the OP which is far more than most doctors would even think to do. The one point I do agree on is that the Op should have stood up for herself perhaps say "This is still new to me and only the 5th one I've done could you tell me how you like it done?" vs saying nothing and leading others to think she/he knows what they are doing. Some of the doctors that have made me the most upset have also been the ones yelling at administration over nursing issues and staffing and treatment of the nurses and the ones willing to go to bat for you and get results.

[CRNI-ICU20]

Hi shortstuff!
Working behind the hallowed doors of OR or L and D can sometimes be very harsh....I used to have to work with an A$$ surgeon who would smack the back of my hands with a kelly clamp if I didn't hand the instrument quick enough....or he would throw instruments on the floor in a fit of temper...real charmer, eh?
My supervisor, who just happened to be one of the nuns from the top Catholic teaching hospital at that time, re-arranged his thinking when he came in for an emergent appy....he was the patient this time....she took a picture of his winkie with a yellow ribbon tied around it....and when he woke up, it was taped to his bedrail!! (yes...I know....we could have all been tarred and feathered for this....but this was back in the '70's when we were all burning our bras and not takin' any more sh*&!) Needless to say, after she reminded him of his "shortcomings", he was ne'er too anxious to throw anything again at us in the OR....sometimes, it helps to have a little empowerment!
It sounds like you were supported okay through this...although, at the time, your guts were churning and you felt bad....all of us want to do our very best....and we are taught that anything less, in nursing school, or otherwise, just isn't acceptable...
You didn't fail, and you were doing your very best. I liked what one poster said about asking the Dr., "sometime, would you show me your preferences for prepping a belly?" and chances are, in most cases, the docs are really thankful someone would take the time to ask them.
I am sorry you felt bad, and that you thought you had done a bad job.
You didn't. Probably the people the hardest on us, are ourselves.
Stop beating yourself up. There's always a line outside the door waiting to do this for free....
Respect yourself enough to speak up...when you don't know something, say so...it isn't a crime to want to learn something new.

[nurse79]

Most OB docs are overworked and stressed from lack of sleep. And they especially try to harass newer L/D nurses (not all but alot) so DONT take it personal. You must not let them see you falter or they will remember that next time. If you are continuously being harassed take it up with your supervisor.
One MD on our unit is pretty ANAL retentive about the pitocin. He wants it increased every 20 minutes. When he wants an update, he asked when the Pit was started and mentally calculates to make sure it is at the "correct" concentration. The other day he told a fellow coworker "keep going up on the pit. i want her delivered by 7 pm" She got right back in his face and said "ok i'll write that out as an order. Increase pitocin per policy to deliver pt by 7 pm. Did u want to sign that now?"
lol

[markas214]

Originally Posted by shortstuff31117

I am a fairly new nurse ...


Anyway, later that evening the doctor did come find me and talk to me about it, and was nice about it actually. So that was a relief. I just feel like such an unprofessional loser!!

Most Drs do not mean to be personally insulting. It was actually pretty cool that the other nurse told the doc and he spoke with you. Don't take things so hard next time. Yes, there will be a next time. We all have bad days and often we blow off steam in the wrong direction. Of course there actually are rude and obnoxious drs too. Those are the ones who's comments you really need to ignore.

[Bonnie Nurse]

Absolutely on par, Woody436!! We TEACH all the people in our lives how to treat us. One way to stop this is with non-verbal communication. You'd be surprised how putting your hand up in a stop-this position all the while wearing a professional half-smile will stop a doc like this in his/her tracks. Then keep your voice low and controlled and say, "I hope your tone is not deliberate, because i find it quite offensive and inappropriate in front of the patient and my colleagues. If this is something we need to discuss at length, i'll be most happy to talk about it at a mutually convenient time." If the doc keeps on, use the repeat method and do not be hostile. Let them be the aggressive ones, but stand your ground.

[Brooke1984]

I completely understand how you feel. The best thing to do is just learn from it and learn to be tougher. I am a 23 yr old new RN, and one thing I really need to work on is not letting people walk all over me....meaning DR, residents, PA's...but yea-to totally relate...my preceptor a few months ago had me crying hysterically in a pt's room bc she told me " i just wasn't getting the critical thinking part " about working in the ICU...can you imagine....like a knife right through my heart...Stay strong, it happens to the best of us !

[LaborNurse1]

Please don't feel like a loser about this. Every nurse I know has encountered a physician who wasn't nice to them. I actually had a similar situation where I was prepping the pts belly for a c/s when I was new to the unit. The doctor was watching me and told me I was doing it wrong. So I said I would do it again, but apparently the second time wasn't any better for him. So I said, "I want you to tell me exactly how you want me to do this because I am not going to do it a 4th time." The doc was taken aback (prob not used to a nurse saying something like this) but instructed me exactly how to scrub, which BTW was exactly how I was doing it.

You may find that this doc will be more respectful of you since she knew her behavior was unacceptable to you. In the future, I would advise that you talk privately with the doc to tell them that you are open to learning but not in a disrespectful manner. I find this approach works well.

[LaborNurse1]

Originally Posted by nurse79

One MD on our unit is pretty ANAL retentive about the pitocin. He wants it increased every 20 minutes. When he wants an update, he asked when the Pit was started and mentally calculates to make sure it is at the "correct" concentration. The other day he told a fellow coworker "keep going up on the pit. i want her delivered by 7 pm" She got right back in his face and said "ok i'll write that out as an order. Increase pitocin per policy to deliver pt by 7 pm. Did u want to sign that now?"
lol

That's great!

[WitchyRN]

Originally Posted by crawlyberry

Hi I am a new nurse, and would like to know what exactly is the correct way to prep the patient's stomach? It seems everyone has their own technique. Don't want to learn the wrong one. Thanks.

When you are doing a surgical prep of the abdomen, I was always taught that you never go over the same spot twice with the same swab(our prep kits in the OR have sponges for the soap prep, and 3 swabs for the prep solution). You prep in a circular motion inside to outside and again never go back with the same swab. Obviously, don't contaminate the prep swab either-if it touches anything nonsterile, throw it away.