Have you had a baby at your hospital??

rn/writer, RN · Jan 2, 2007

Do you work in the OB department at your hospital? If so, you might be able to get approved for a different hospital if you bring up confidentiality issues and HIPAA concerns. You should not have to be a patient in the midst of your co-workers unless that is your choice.

One of our sons is adopted. He came to us with many severe psych problems. When our insurance dictated that he had to enter the inpatient program at the hospital where I worked, we balked. Not only did I work at that hospital, I was a nurse on the very child and adolescent unit he would have been admitted to. I spoke with the insurance company, citing my concerns, and within a half hour, they had several other choices for us.

HIPAA often causes headaches for healthcare workers. But sometimes, it can work to our advantage.

burn out · Jan 2, 2007

yes I had my first child at the hospital I worked at. It was really nice and comforting to have familiar faces around at such a time. The nurse that admitted me to the ob unit was in my nursing class and we graduated together..I remember joking with her when she put my IV in because we learned how to do that skill together. I was especially reassured with have a person I worked with frequently as my Anesthesiologist. Afterwards friends and co workers would sneek up to my room to visit and my Director made sure I had enough iced tea available (I craved it when I was pregnant). It made a lot of difference to me and made the experience much more memorable.

Mrs.S · Jan 2, 2007

I had my last baby at the hospital where I worked at the time, and it was awesome because I loved my midwife and it was nice to be surrounded by and be taken care of by my friends while I was there, esp. in labor. Now I'm pregnant again but I work at a different hospital. I'm still looking forward to having people I know and love and trust take care of me, but I was very conflicted at first when it came to picking my OB. There are no midwives where I work and the OB's do a lot more high-risk stuff so the care is very different, and I did have the option to choose a different practice and hospital. In the end I thought I'd feel more comfortable in familiar surroundings, and I picked the OB I felt most comfortable with. There are four of us due around the same time and she is delivering all of us

NurseyBaby'05, BSN, RN · Jan 2, 2007

I may wind up delivering on the ob unit @ my hospital. It's the only one in the city where the midwives I see have privileges. I'm planning on having my baby at their free standing birth center, but we'll see how it winds up working out. I was really conflicted for awhile, but I decided it was a small chance to take to have the kind of birth I would like. Seeing a poor nurse who winds up being intimate with my nether regions on the elevator every day may be a little bit awkward, but I'll survive. :lol2:

HappyNurse2005, RN · Jan 2, 2007

I will be doing so in August. I wasn't a nurse with my other 3 deliveries, and I actually find that working on the L&D to be a benefit. I can see the personalities of all the docs, their working styles, etc and pick the one who's style/personality i like the best. and i did. love him!

Jarnaes · Jan 2, 2007

I had my one and only baby in the same L&D unit where I worked. it was great. Worked a full shift on Friday, came in Sat and had the baby. I knew the staff, I knew the procedures, I knew exactly what they would do and how they would do it. I was totally comfortable and at ease, had 1 1/2 hours of labor- with 2mg stadol and 25mg phenergan. Delivered my girl, and was up walking within 1 hour. Felt fine and was ready to go home that day, but they made me spend the night. I believe part of my easy labor was the fact that I knew everybody and the way they did things. I had no fear.

GardenDove · Jan 2, 2007

Hey, I'm glad to hear homebirth is alive and well. I had 6 homebirths. Good luck!

shortstuff31117 · Jan 2, 2007

Thanks everyone! I never thought about using HIPPA...that makes sense though. I do work in the OB unit at my hospital, and though I love most of the nurses, my hospital is very medicalized and I am not like that so I just can't imagine delivering there...we shall see though

Then there's the problem of explaining it LOL...I know I'll get flack for the home birth plan, and if I do go to another hospital I hope noone get insulted!!

Carrie

paintedbison · Jan 2, 2007

I had my last baby at the hospital I worked at, and it was really a good experience overall. I did not want an epidural, so I asked for the nurse who I knew was best with unmed labors.

However, I am pregnant again and now working at a different hospital after a move. I will not be having this baby at the hospital I work at. It is a smaller hospital, and they are not very friendly with breastfeeding at all. They keep babies in the nursery way too long, in my opinion, and force formula on moms constantly. It's sad. I don't want to deal with arguing against that. There are also more coworkers here that I don't get along with... I would hate to have someone taking care of me that I know and don't like.

This baby will be born at a birthing center with a midwife. I had to argue with insurance to get the birthing center covered. You'd be surprised at how far an hour of phone calls might get you. I think the HIPPA thing is a great idea for arguing to have another hospital covered. I'm all for using a midwife for a home birth. I've actually been really surprised at how many people I work with think that me delivering in a birthing center is great. I expected people to be totally appalled by it. A lot have told me they wished they had done the same thing.

NurseyBaby'05, BSN, RN · Jan 3, 2007

No one's really been appalled. They kind of look and say " . . ohhhhh . . ." They just think I'm crazy to be planning on/hoping for natural childbirth, period. It wouldn't matter if it was hospital, home or birth center.

q12RN · Jan 6, 2007

I have had all 4 of mine at where I work and will this time as well.