Escorting patients to labor

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Specializes in L&D, Nursery, NICU & Post Partum.

Hi,

I am having an issue with our Admitting Dept. They feel that every labor patient should be greeted and escorted to L&D by a labor nurse. I would like to know if each labor unit sends a nurse to the admitting dept to escort all patients to L&D. This would include scheduled inductions, cesareans, possible ROM, ETC... It does not include active patients.

Thanks,

D

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Specializes in Maternal - Child Health.

In the hospitals where I've worked, pre-registered patients came directly to the maternity unit. Those who weren't pre-registered came thru the ER, so no need for any expectant mom to stop in admitting.

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Specializes in Nurse Leader specializing in Labor & Delivery.

Labor patients generally walk themselves up to the unit on their own unless they're really active, then someone from the ED will wheel them up. That would take a lot of time away from tending to patients, for a labor nurse to have to leave multiple times a day to walk down to admitting to get a pt.

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I think that's a little overkill. I used to work in an admitting department and we always took the patients up to the floor, after calling L&D to let them know we were on our way. If they were in active labor, we brought them up in a wheelchair. Personally, I loved taking them up to the floor and never had an incident.

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Specializes in Community, OB, Nursery.

Where I am now, pt registration brings them up to triage unless the pt looks acts like delivery is imminent, then they will call L&D down to bring them up. Even if they are preregistered (which most are) they go through pt registration.

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Where I work, we have our own admitting office right by triage. So you come in, register, and then go right in. However, where I gave birth, you have to register first in the main admitting office, then go up to L&D. When I came in very active, I went up with a wheelchair. I think it was an escort who pushed the wheelchair, not an L&D nurse. It would have taken too much time to send someone down. Although, where I am now, if someone in that situation would have to wait for escort, she could be in BIG trouble.

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Specializes in OB.

That's probably overkill. A hospital I used to work at would send a CNA or secretary to get someone from the ER (this was a place that did 300 deliveries a month, so lots of staff).

We require our pts. (except scheduled inductions and sections) to come up in a wheelchair (a family member can push them). We had a sentinal event a couple years ago that possibly could have been prevented by the mom being in a wheelchair, so it's policy that they ride up to us.

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Specializes in ER, education, mgmt.

Why is an Admitting Department making decisions regarding patient care? Serious question, btw...

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Specializes in MED SURG.

well when I was having my baby I was told by my Dr to just call them up first. I did, so they could be ready for me . I walked a few false times and when I did have her the lady at the front desk wheeled me up. I was required to pre registar at 5 mo but that is all I seen of admitting. I dod think it is weird that they would have any say in the matter.

ps. On a side note... I loved my l&d experance so much that when I'm done with nursing school I would like to work there.

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Specializes in MED SURG.

well when I was having my baby I was told by my Dr to just call them up first. I did, so they could be ready for me . I walked a few false times and when I did have her the lady at the front desk wheeled me up. I was required to pre registar at 5 mo but that is all I seen of admitting. I dod think it is weird that they would have any say in the matter.

ps. On a side note... I loved my l&d experance so much that when I'm done with nursing school I would like to work there.

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