I did good

Published

I realize that this is just blatant self congratylation but I had to share with someone who might care. I'm in my OB rotation and yesterday I had a newborn by c-section involving meconium. During my assesment I noted he was abdominally breathing and gasping on inspiration. I reported it to my instructor and was told don't woory about just tell astaff nurse. I tell the staff nurse and am told no big deal just let the nursery know. I tell the nursery and they tell me it's not important. So far noone has looked at the baby yet but me.

I monitor the baby for the next hour or so and include my concerns in my turn over report to the oncoming class and go on my way. Today when I arrive I am told my baby was rushed into NICU right after I left due to respiratory distress that noone noticed until it was almost to late since he had aspirated meconium during the c-section. Thankfully I charted my observation well even though I was told it was nothing as I am the only person involved not in some kind of trouble. Just makes me feel good that I'm more competent than I sometimes feel.

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I have to catch my breath now.

Even though I do not know you, I have to say I am proud of you.

I am disappointed and downright disgusted that your instructor did not give your concerns any merit, nor did the rest of the staff of supposed professionals. That is very scary to me.

If you were able to document it well enough to cover your hide, then I'm going to take that into account when I figure you were probably able to express your concerns well enough to warrant further investigation from anyone you told. But they still did nothing? I would think that if I went to a professor of mine and said simply "I don't think this newborn is breathing well" she'd grab me and make me show her.

I'm dumbfounded. C-section... merconium stained amniotic fluid... you voice concern over the newborn's respiratory status, and you get no action?

You can certainly trust yourself. You taught me something, my friend. I'm not going to listen to "don't worry about it" if my gut - and experience - and so called education they've tried to beat into me - says it IS something to worry about.

Thank you for this post, and you deserve some chest beating and back slapping.

ND

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I have to say that I am willing to give the instructor a little slack as she went in twice to check the baby and both times mom was trying to breastfeed, (she was not real sure of herself and we wanted her to keep trying) and the staff nurse told her it was fine as long as the respirations were not elevated. While my instructor is an MSN she has limited OB exposure and took the word of others with more experience, bad move for her but she knows better now. While my chest is a bit puffy I realise that without my instructors guidance earlier I would never have been concerned enough to keep nagging the staff and my student relief to follow up on this so she deserves some credit for being a good teacher if nothing else.

But thanks, I don't want to tell any of my other students about this in detail and make them start doubting the considerable expertise of our instructor and staff nurses that seems to have just suffered a break down in this one case, so it's good to get a little validation from someone that understands.

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Specializes in OB, ortho/neuro, home care, office.

antihippie

i have just two words for your my friend

you rock!!!\

great call!!!

okay thats four but they are all true, you simply kick a$$!!

an awesome :nurse: you will be!

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Specializes in Med-Surg, Geriatric, Behavioral Health.

Most excellent job.

You should be very proud of yourself.

Excellent, excellent.

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I have to say that I am willing to give the instructor a little slack as she went in twice to check the baby and both times mom was trying to breastfeed, (she was not real sure of herself and we wanted her to keep trying) and the staff nurse told her it was fine as long as the respirations were not elevated. While my instructor is an MSN she has limited OB exposure and took the word of others with more experience, bad move for her but she knows better now.

See, there ya go. You know what we as students are constantly asked? What is the priority? And we respond: Airway, Airway, Airway. Always.

Breastfeeding is tough when the baby can't breathe. You will go into nursing all the better for this experience.

NG

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Specializes in Telemetry, OR, ICU.
I have to say that I am willing to give the instructor a little slack as she went in twice to check the baby and both times mom was trying to breastfeed, (she was not real sure of herself and we wanted her to keep trying) and the staff nurse told her it was fine as long as the respirations were not elevated. While my instructor is an MSN she has limited OB exposure and took the word of others with more experience, bad move for her but she knows better now. While my chest is a bit puffy I realise that without my instructors guidance earlier I would never have been concerned enough to keep nagging the staff and my student relief to follow up on this so she deserves some credit for being a good teacher if nothing else.

But thanks, I don't want to tell any of my other students about this in detail and make them start doubting the considerable expertise of our instructor and staff nurses that seems to have just suffered a break down in this one case, so it's good to get a little validation from someone that understands.

Congrats x2!!

First, you made a valid assessment regards to respiratory distress. Plus, you followed your chain-of-command regards to bringing this issue to the attention of those that should have immediately investigated further. Furthermore, documentation is always your friend... if it ain't documented, then it never happened, so say the legal beagles.

Second, you choose to take the mature route regards to keeping this incident away from your peers. BTW, I'd bet if this would have happened to you after nursing school you would have grabbed the Charge Nurse by the shirt sleeve & insisted they, too, assess this baby you determined was in respiratory distress, right?

Good job! Sounds like you will make a great Male RN!

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Nice catch! Acts like that serve as affirmation that your feet are on the right path. Now... hang on to that feeling. A few of those can go a long way toward keeping your head up on days where you feel like you were all thumbs.

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way to go. i am a student also who is having a c section 6 wekks after graduation. please come be my nurse!!!

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