What ever happened to "mother nature"?

Oh I would never skip that rotation...I am just not looking forward to it

I am sorry you are not looking forward to it and am even more sorry if it b/c of this discussion. You should never let these discussions color your feelings about nursing until you have experienced them yourself and can make your own judgement. The other thing to think about is: though we are expressing dislike about certain aspects of our job, if we did not LUV what we do, we have enough opportunities in nursing to make a change. There will always be something to compain about, but i LUV my job and will ALWAYS be an OB nurse!!!

I work in a University Hospital where any IOL or C/S must have a clear medical indication. It is true that a prolonged, natural labor with 1:1 nursing support is costly, but still immensely cheaper for the "system" than a C/S with recovery, subsequent VBAC or repeat C/S and associated morbidities. There is no better example of over-medicalization in our national health system than current OB practice in most areas. Profit/connvenience for physicians and hospitals cannot trump evidence based, cost-effective medicine. Our national health system cannot afford unnecessary medical and surgical procedures.

I argue that bedside nurses witnessing these excesses on OB floors could be key to national reform of OB practice in this nation. Tell your stories beyond these nursing blogs! Document and write letters! We are in an amazing time of possibility, where front line workers within health care are being solicited for ideas. The posts on Allnurses give clear evidence of the excesses in our health care system. Be part of the change.

Had a wonderful "mother nature" birth last evening.

We had a woman really wanted a VBAC with no meds. Her first baby was C/S d/t being ten pounds and too large to come out. This baby was supposed to be smaller, but the doctor said she was rather worried that would be a problem.

In a VBAC the baby is supposed to have continuous monitoring. The mom was a mover and moaner during labor, and we probably got good monitoring about 50% of the time.

For a VBAC, policy states that the doctor and the OR crew has to be on site throughout labor. The doctor could have come up with a reason to do a C/S, but instead she hung out with us for three hours after her office closed and missed dinner with her family. Luckily for her, the baby was born quickly. (She came to us at 6 cm.) Baby was only 7 1/2 pounds, but right before birth the doctor called extra nurses to the room as it looked like a possible shoulder dystocia.

Mom was very happy to have her natural birth. The doctor probably went home rather stressed, and she could have saved time and made more money.

Not all doctors are C/S happy.

Please don't feel that way! There are aspects of L&D nursing that are less than perfect, but that can be said of any area of nursing. Sure the way labor and birth are managed could be very different. However, as an L&D nurse I provide the best care I can within the confines of the system. I really love my job and love working with mom's and families. Everyone is quick to point out how physicians mismanage labor, however many mother's and families choose to do things that way as well. I'm always amazed at women that would like to "just get it over with" and have a csection. Almost everyone wants an epidural, pain medication, to be in bed the whole time. It's very rare, but wonderful, when I have a pt that goes all natural. You just have to do the best you can given the circumstances you have as a L&D nurse. AS a nursing student take what you can, good or bad, from your clinical rotation and learn from it. That will help you become a good pt advocate, support person and clinician for your pt's regardless of the specialty you choose in the end.

I'm happy to see so many nurses speaking up about this horrible trend in labor and delivery.

My last child almost died because of a young OB who wanted to get a csection in before my regular Dr. was scheduled to come back from vacation. He had everyone convinced I had a horrible infection that would kill the baby and me, because I had a "fever". My temp. was only 99 which is totally normal for me.

My "emergency" csection was preformed 30 minutes before my regular OB was scheduled to arrive at the hospital. That horrible infection? Never existed. But my child will now have a lifetime of lung problems thanks to a greedy Dr. who wanted a little extra on his paycheck. (she was premature, in a hospital that was not equipped to deal with anything more than an oxygen hood for newborns)