I work on L&D, Post partum at a small community hospital. So often, I walk in the room on postpartum and Dad is lying in bed with the newly delivered mother (many times, spooning!). I once almost started an assessment on a father because he was in the bed alone, sitting up, holding the baby, no shirt on with a pink ruffled blanket on him. I thought it was a breastfeeding mother. He also had his hair pulled back into a ponytail. Mom was the bathroom. When I finally realized he was the the father, I jokingly said "Oh my goodness, I thought you were the patient!" I kindly told him that the bed was for mom only. He started to put his shirt on before I had to ask him too. He then said, "I've been in this bed all night and you're the first nurse that has said anything about it". I'm not a prude by any means but this really makes me mad. It happens all the time. We've even had mom sleeping in the chair while dad is sleeping in the bed! I've brought this up at staff meetings before so a some of us that don't tolerate it aren't the "bad guys", but it doesn't seem to matter. I realize that the trend is to make the birthing experience as "family oriented" as possible but isn't this carrying it a bit too far? Am I overreacting? When my son was born, I would have never dreamed of having my husband lie in bed with me! What is the trend at your hospital and how do you handle this? Thanks.
I am all for new family bonding but I have to agree that sharing a patients bed might be taking it a bit far don't you think. Hospitals are the place where patient's safty comes first has anyone considered the infection controle risks of this bed sharing?
If they are happy and it doesn't interfere with care I think it's fine.
I agree. As long as he gets out of the way when you need to check the mother and the mother appears to be happy and okay with it I would let them be just like your co-workers seemed to do.
I am all for new family bonding but I have to agree that sharing a patients bed might be taking it a bit far don't you think. Hospitals are the place where patient's safty comes first has anyone considered the infection controle risks of this bed sharing?
At the time in the '70s that this was undertaken, those whose project it was, said that the baby had already been exposed to microorganisms the mother and father had, and would not suffer ill effects from them. Since dad wore scrubs in the unit, changing them each time he left it, the issue of infection control was handled, so long as that policy remained in place and hand washing was carried out as recommended.
Of course copulation was not permitted and the usual wait until after the pp check-up for that to resume was taught (in terms that could be understood better than this sentence).
I would much rather see a healthy family developing than an absent father or overbearing tense relationship. Couples are obviously comfortable on your unit. Must be a good thing.
ceroniorose
6 Posts
I am all for new family bonding but I have to agree that sharing a patients bed might be taking it a bit far don't you think. Hospitals are the place where patient's safty comes first has anyone considered the infection controle risks of this bed sharing?