Improvement Ideas

In order to make my patient's experiences "extra special", I give them the best care I can give. I ensure my care is competent and safe and always try to treat them with respect. I would not babysit on my own time because that is when I need to recharge myself and look after myself and my own family so that I can return the next shift a whole person in order to provide excellent patient care (not babysitting services).

Given all of that-the best thing that we do is give good patient care-the other stuff doesn't matter. In fact, I found that patients that got poor care often complained about the extra things we did too!! There is no substitute but parents feel special when there are also little perks!

Oh, wow is that ever brilliant. It's unfortunate that "out there" hospitals are competing for birthing business on stuff that is completely dumb and has nothing to do with evidence based, safe, compassionate care, isn't it? Our 3 local hospitals have gone at it over the years with the wood floors (all the better for puking on??), flat screen tvs, tempeurpedic beds, you name it. I have worked as a doula in all 3, and the one that is thought of as low rent actually has the best providers and nurses in town. The fancy pants one is a csection factory but no one wants to hear that because it looks so nice on the outside. Especially because like someone said, the labor rooms are beautiful and ginormous, and then the postpartum ones, where folks are actually going to try to get some rest are teeny tiny and uncomfortable.

However...since I know it's important and the reality is these perks sell, I will tell you the things I have seen that I think are great and work. The tempeurpedic beds at the one hospital I mentioned...they are in the postpartum suites where I had my last baby and they are COMFY. Like seriously awesome. I think they were ungodly expensive though. But compared to a regular hospital bed? My goodness. I still think it's kind of crummy that our patients who are in for far longer for less joyful reasons are given such crap beds, but I digress.

The snack packs. At around 3pm dietary would bring snacks to the postpartum rooms. I was so starving from birth, breastfeeding, etc, that I wanted to kiss that lady. It was those tuna snack packs, some peanut M&Ms and a soda. Not the healthiest, but seriously, I still remember how great those M&Ms tasted!

We had the massage, and I bet you could do this on the cheap if you are letting the masseuses distribute their cards for future private business.

I am realizing all of these things are postpartum stuff. I do think including dad is just all the little things nurses can do. Also, I know this isn't under our control, but a lot of the midwives here encourage dad to help catch the baby if he's interested. Those are some very, very special births.:redbeathe