Hi guys, I need some opinons. I work in a rural hospital in the newborn nursery. We don't do couplet care. Have different depts for L and D, nursery, and post partum, with different nurses for each. I have been there for about 3 years. Well, last night I had a baby, SVD, breastfeeding, fine kid, about 36 hours old. Mom wanted me to keep him the night before, she was tired and just wanted him for feeding, but last night she wanted to room in with him. So, I take him in for a few minutes assess, weigh, bath all that stuff and take him right back out. A little while later dad calls for something and talks with another nurse and happen to mention that they are rooming in. This nurse, who is a really great nurse and a friend of mine, tells them that they can't keep the baby unless someone is awake at all times and goes to bring the baby back. I get back about this time and we had a bit of an argument about this, but she says they can't keep him if they are going to be sleeping, period. Liablity issues, etc. I point out that most other hospitals do couplet care, that this family would be sleeping in their own house if they had decided to go home that day, etc. She is not moved! LOL Says they can do what they want when they get home, that while the baby is in the hospital he is our problem and it is on us if the baby dies while in the room with the parents and they can't keep him if they are going to sleep. I backed off, (she was charge and has been there 20+ years) smoothed it over with the parents (who were NOT happy about this), and just took him out for feedings. We don't have a written policy about this. I just called my NM for some clarification but I couldn't get her. What do you guys do at your hospitals? How do you feel on this subject?
Thanks,
Criss
Whoa, did a search for threads on this and just wanted to say, I don't want this to get ugly, lol!
i think that this should be mother's choice...if she wants a little recupe time before going home and dealing with baby full time that should be considered w/o making her feel quilty about not 'bonding'..moms bond
many after waiting through out pregancy can't wait to hold and care for baby and should be encouraged and give help and support
no right answer or rather all answers that work are right
but you do need to input your committee so that you will have something in black and white to fall back on..
Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.
It is a great book. We have a copy on our LDRP. Since I Have only worked LDRP since graduating in 1997, I cannot fathom a place that does not allow and encourage rooming-in!
It is a great book. We have a copy on our LDRP. Since I Have only worked LDRP since graduating in 1997, I cannot fathom a place that does not allow and encourage rooming-in!
I can't either and I am working in one! We are so stuck in the 50's way of doing ob. Still seperate moms and babies for hours after birth (after a brief bonding time in L and D) and any moms who complain about this, the babies get "extra time" in the nursery as a punishment. Lots of nurses still sneak breast babies bottles, or push mom into agreeing to bottles. Still make the babies come back to nursery for routine care (baths, md visits, sugar checks, etc) and the babies have to be in there at every shift change, like we can't walk out to the room to assess! And of course the rooming in thing. At least 3 nurses that I can think of won't allow it at all, unless someone promises to be awake at all times. But until that night I never had my charge nurse go and get one of my babies and tell the parents they couldn't keep them (after I had already said it was fine). And don't get me started on L and D practices! Lith postion for everybody, still do lots of epis., vacs, and even forceps, I'd say 70% are given high dose pit (like 40+ mu). I am really considered going to another hospital to work, but I love my coworkers and the hospital is really close to my home. I am not just gonna ask to be on the committee, I think I will demand it, this stuff is driving me crazy!
Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.
PS: here is something to get you started. Write around and obtain hospital policies for pitocin induction/titration formulas and rooming-in, for example. Maybe armed with these, you will have a start in your fight to change things. Also, Always remember; you can refuse to do what you KNOW to be dangerous.
PS: here is something to get you started. Write around and obtain hospital policies for pitocin induction/titration formulas and rooming-in, for example. Maybe armed with these, you will have a start in your fight to change things. Also, Always remember; you can refuse to do what you KNOW to be dangerous.
Thanks for the advice! Will most hospitals give out there p/p to other hospitals? BTW, I don't do L and D (just go to transition the babies), and I just can't figure out why the nurses keep on doing the pit that high (I know we talked about this before), I tried to talk to my NM about this and basically got told that is not my dept and mind my own business.:uhoh21: But the nursery is my business so I will start trying to make some changes, starting with this rooming in business!
All hospitals that I have worked in encourage rooming in....but the parents are welcome to send baby to the nursery if they choose. However...I have seen one tragedy in 11 years that involved a new c-section mother who "roomed in" with her baby...apparently had the baby in bed with her feeding and fell asleep and smothered the baby. The father was also in the room but asleep as well. The baby died. It can happen so fast and especially with c-sections moms who are usually more medicated, I really feel strongly about letting the baby go to the nursery and let mom get her rest while in the hospital. But that's just me!
We don't have a nursery that babies can go to, so rooming in isn't really an option for us. If we are not busy, we can sometimes take a baby and keep it for a bit of time. We encourage "support people" to stay with mom...ones that will actually HELP and not sleep all night. Nothing irritates me more than the husband or boyfriend who stays and then gets a good night sleep while mom is up all night taking care of the baby. What irritates me further is when you go in to help, the mom SHHHHH's you, not to wake HIM up because HE is so tired. UG.
Part of the whole BIRTH experience is learning how to care for your baby once it arrives. How do you do that when you are trying to send your baby to the nursery to get sleep? Of course there are instances where this is appropriate (multips, mom is ill etc), but first time moms....yeesh. I will help and support them in any way I can, but they need to learn this is how life is going to be from now on. Who will take their babies at home?
We have a NICU for 32 weekers and over who are sick, who need transitioning, or are growers/feeders, or who are on administrative hold. Sometimes our moms are miffed to find out there's no place to send their well babies when they "need to sleep." I currently emailing a friend who's daughter is about ready to deliver and she was horrified to learn that the baby would be in the room with mom all the time (unless there's a problem.)
I like the rooming part; I'm not a huge fan of the LDRP thing. The way our unit is laid out it's a mess. Two weeks ago we had a laboring patient who's next door neighbor's room looked and sounded like play time on Romper Room, only not under that much control. That's so totally not fair to the one in labor, and also not fair to a newly delivered mom who is trying to sleep and her next door neighbor is in the throes of delivering AND has noisy visitors.
Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.
Noisy neighbors are a huge problem in PP/mother-baby too. The problem is, most units just allow a big ole "free for all" when it comes to visitors. I have seen M/B units that are like a big zoo. And L/D units where you would need bleachers for all the people there to see the birth. I think it's not an LDRP problem so much as it's a visitor control issue.
Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.
We don't have a nursery that babies can go to, so rooming in isn't really an option for us. If we are not busy, we can sometimes take a baby and keep it for a bit of time. We encourage "support people" to stay with mom...ones that will actually HELP and not sleep all night. Nothing irritates me more than the husband or boyfriend who stays and then gets a good night sleep while mom is up all night taking care of the baby. What irritates me further is when you go in to help, the mom SHHHHH's you, not to wake HIM up because HE is so tired. UG.
Part of the whole BIRTH experience is learning how to care for your baby once it arrives. How do you do that when you are trying to send your baby to the nursery to get sleep? Of course there are instances where this is appropriate (multips, mom is ill etc), but first time moms....yeesh. I will help and support them in any way I can, but they need to learn this is how life is going to be from now on. Who will take their babies at home?
Our unit doesn't keep a well baby nursery; all healthy babies stay with families unless it's an unusual situation and it's great. I couldn't imagine it any other way.
The 'liability' argument to keep babies apart from mom is funny to me... I'd probably feel like suing if I was told I couldn't have my own baby - it is seriously that foreign of a concept and off-putting to me. I wouldn't chose to deliver (or work) in a unit where I couldn't have my own healthy baby (and didn't, all three were rooming-in; one large city hospital and two at a small community hospital) at will and frankly I can't believe that the moms submit to that.
I respect that some of you work in places like that and maybe some of you like it or can't change it, but wow that's wild - sounds like the 1950's or something!
CHATSDALE
4,177 Posts
i think that this should be mother's choice...if she wants a little recupe time before going home and dealing with baby full time that should be considered w/o making her feel quilty about not 'bonding'..moms bond
many after waiting through out pregancy can't wait to hold and care for baby and should be encouraged and give help and support
no right answer or rather all answers that work are right
but you do need to input your committee so that you will have something in black and white to fall back on..