Advice needed (sorry so long lol)

[nicenurselpn]

I am an LPN in a LTC for disabled kids. On an regular night, we have 6 nurses for the building. That includes a charge nurse who has an assignment .

One night last week I got an phone call from my daughter who was 33 weeks pregnant. She thought that she was leaking amniotic fluid. After asking her some questions, I told her to call her dr. I then went right to my charge nurse and told her what was going on, and that I needed to leave to get her to the hospital. The charge nurse told me "No you can not leave" I was floored. That night we happened to have a nurse with a new orientee, and an agency nurse and me on that one unit. Thankfully the regular nurse took my half of the assignment (12 kids) and the agency took her half. I gave her report, and counted and left to take my child to the hospital.

We spent 5 hours at the hosp, she was not leaking amniotic fluid, but was having contractions. They gave 3 shots of turbutline which worked, and told her to get to her dr the next morning. I called work updated them and called out for my shift ( i gave them 5 hrs notice). We get to the dr, and yep she is 2 cm dialated and 50% effaced. The dr put her on modified bedrest, took her off of work until delivery. That afternoon she started having contractions again, and I took her to the hosp and they admitted her overnight. She got 4 doses of Procardia to try to stop the contractions and received steroid shots to mature the babys lungs.

My question is this: can they do this to me? This is an emergency situation, I am not making this stuff up. I have all of the paperwork and drs notes for my child to prove what happened. I spoke with my boss and suggested to have at least an extra nurse in the building just in case I have to leave again midshift. I can not control when my future grandson will make his appearance!!

Thanks,

Nice Nurse LPN

[1uvakindmom]

I was just asking for advice. I didnt expect to get the backlash that I did. My daughter is only 17, and this is a scary time for her right now. I find it very hard to believe that no one else would have done the same thing if they were in my position. Call me extra protective, but being in preterm labor is scary for anyone! I also love my family and my unborn grandson. Bottom line was, I got my patients covered that night when I had to leave. No one knows when an emergency will happen.

NiceNurse LPN

I had my first child at 17 as well, so I can empathize with your daughter and the fear she feels. It is scary to be a parent so young. I also had my child at 35 weeks pregnant, so that was also very scary for me to have a preemie. Maybe you could take a few weeks off to be with her? Are you full-time? Do you have any short-term disability that could pay some of your salary while out? She definitly needs all the support she can get right now, but you probably need the job, too! It's a hard situation. I wish you the best of luck, and I can just say that it is so wonderful that you accept this. That will be a big help to her in and of itself. Having a child at 17 is too young, but what's done is done, and every life if a blessing. I now have 4 beautiful kids and a wonderful hubby and will be starting LPN-RN school myself. So there is light to the end of the tunnel for young moms. I just hope she can finish high school and continue her education. That is so very important! Good luck to you and your daughter!:yeah:

[nicenurselpn, LPN]

I had my first child at 17 as well, so I can empathize with your daughter and the fear she feels. It is scary to be a parent so young. I also had my child at 35 weeks pregnant, so that was also very scary for me to have a preemie. Maybe you could take a few weeks off to be with her? Are you full-time? Do you have any short-term disability that could pay some of your salary while out? She definitly needs all the support she can get right now, but you probably need the job, too! It's a hard situation. I wish you the best of luck, and I can just say that it is so wonderful that you accept this. That will be a big help to her in and of itself. Having a child at 17 is too young, but what's done is done, and every life if a blessing. I now have 4 beautiful kids and a wonderful hubby and will be starting LPN-RN school myself. So there is light to the end of the tunnel for young moms. I just hope she can finish high school and continue her education. That is so very important! Good luck to you and your daughter!:yeah:

She is only 17, but she recently graduated from cosmotology school and passed her state boards to get her cosmotology license. After she has the baby and has recovered,she will go back to work. So far so good as far as the pregnancy goes. She is now 36 weeks!

NiceNurse LPN