Insane visitors!

Specialties Ob/Gyn

Published

I'm a graduate nurse (took my NCLEX last week) and I work on a postpartum floor in a rural hospital, and for the most part, I love it. I'm just a little baffled by some of the visitors we get -- we get them at all times of the day and night, regardless of when the delivery was. Visiting hours end at 9pm and people seem to think that they can just come waltzing in b/c the mom delivered after 9pm. It's like HELLO? This woman's been in labor all day, has been through a delivery and it's now BEDTIME!! I've had patients that have had probably 10 people in our little private rooms less than 5 minutes after we get them into the bed on the postpartum unit. :rolleyes: And then, while you're doing frequent vital signs and have to check the patient's fundus, lochia, etc., the people in the room make a big deal of us asking them to step out! What's the deal? I realize this is a big thing, new member of the family and all that, but good grief! Provided there are no complications, mother and baby will be home the following day - does everybody and their dog really need to come visit in the hospital?

Anybody else feel this way? Thanks for letting me vent...

:nurse:

Alright, Nancy, you'd better behave yourself in there!!! No messing around with the monitors or IV or crap like that!! LOL!!

Glad your daughter doesn't see it as a social event and that you have the good sense to play bouncer and keep the onlookers out.

HOWEVER, YOU ARE THE EXCEPTION TO THE RULE. You'd be shocked how many people think birth is a sideshow. I think shows like 'A Baby Story' should be banned because now the general public thinks it's totally kosher for the whole d**n world to watch as a wet baby head emerges from their neighbor's-husband's-hairstylist's-cousin's-wife's lady parts.

It just kills me.

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Wow I thought I was just getting crabby with visitors glad to see others find then to be inconsiderate as I do.

The other day I had a new mom who had not slept for 72 hours and had gone threw a hard labor + had a 4th degree lass, a spinal headache, painful hemorrhoids, with temps of 103 and shivers. Visitors came in and out all day and finally at 1300 I told her that I would not allow anymore visitors and threw out the ones that were there. She thanked me and said she hadn't been able to get the guts to ask them to leave. As soon as she got those words out another group of people walked in. I nicely told them they could have a 5 min visit and I would come back to remind them when it was time to go and explained it was important for Mom to rest. One of the men that had walked in said "I will stay as long as I damn well please! Just who the hell do you think you are" I smiled and said "you have 5 minuets Sir and left. "

When I came back everyone but the guy who had yelled at me was gone so I stepped over to the phone and dialed security and said. "Could you send some officers down I have a trespasser here endangering the health of my patient." That really shocked him he cursed at me and left. My patient thanked me again.

Iv also heard the "I don't mind" response. I just repeat my self "please step out" most people only take 1 repeat.

There should be a rule that No one other then immediate family/ birth coaches visit mom until the day after delivery

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I think shows like 'A Baby Story' should be banned because now the general public thinks it's totally kosher for the whole d**n world to watch as a wet baby head emerges from their neighbor's-husband's-hairstylist's-cousin's-wife's lady parts.
LMAO! But it's SO true -- I can't believe the number of people that some people think should be allowed in a delivery. Our facility has a policy that only the coach can be in there, even in the good birthing rooms.

Glad to see I'm not the only one that wants to get rid of some of these visitors. The other kind of visitor I hate is the kind that insists on doing everything (and I mean EVERYTHING) for the mom. No kidding, I just got off from a shift tonight where the mother of this one PP pt did everything for her, including using the call bell when the pt needed something. This woman delivered early this morning, normal SVD -- she should have been able to do a little more for herself, I think.

I also think I must have "pushover" tattooed on my forehead. I go in and tell them (as firmly as I can muster up) that this new mom needs some rest and maybe we should cut down on some of the visitors, and they're like whatever... I tell them a couple of times then I have to get some help (usually from my charge nurse, b/c she has NO qualms about being a witch when she needs to be...seriously - she's like okay get out! LOL)

BTW...big news! I PASSED MY NCLEX!!! (I found out today, so I'm a little excited...)

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We only will give room numbers out to visitors if they know the mother's last name. They come in saying my neighbor had a baby her name is Mary. Well unless you are close enough to someone to know their last name you shouldn't be visiting her in the hospital.

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Ooo!! Ooo!!! Thought of another thing along the same lines!! What about a pt. who's phone rings incessantly through labor, delivery, etc., and then after they're gone from the labor room, you can still hear the doggone phone ringing like 200x in a row. As if the moron on the other end is saying to him/herself, "I know she's in there!! If I let the phone ring long enough, she'll answer!!" I get sick pleasure hearing the phone ring and ring and ring in an empty room.

I've seen (usually fathers) go to LET GO of the mother's foot or leg or whatever when SHE'S DELIVERING to answer the stupid phone!! I say to them, 'if it's really someone important, they'll call back.' They usually get a clue and my pt. thanks me.

AAAAAAAARRRRRRRGGGGGGGGHHHHHHHHH!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Or when someone calls wanting the 'status' of their 'friend' whose last name they don't even know. :chuckle :roll AS IF!!! I love telling people 'we can't give out any info over the phone,' and listening to them get all pissed off.

THE GENERAL PUBLIC IS SO FULL OF MORONS.

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lol...My cell phone kept ringing in my bag while I was laboring...I angrily said "no don't dare turn off that phone-give it me" it was my brainless (former)friend. Duh, I told you I was in labor the day before...and I'm not answering at home...hmmm could I have gone to the hospital. No maybe I'm just out shopping hoping my water breaks in public.

Regarding birth story or any of the cheesy birth shows...they drive me nuts...why are both sets of in-laws and the couples grandparents in there cheering and leaning in for a closer view of the vag?! :rolleyes: I prefer to watch Materity Ward to see the latest HIV+ crack mom episode :eek:

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Originally posted by shay

Ooo!! Ooo!!! Thought of another thing along the same lines!! What about a pt. who's phone rings incessantly through labor, delivery, etc., and then after they're gone from the labor room, you can still hear the doggone phone ringing like 200x in a row. As if the moron on the other end is saying to him/herself, "I know she's in there!! If I let the phone ring long enough, she'll answer!!" I get sick pleasure hearing the phone ring and ring and ring in an empty room.

I enjoy that sick pleasure also!

Sometimes though, when we're waiting for a pt. to come to a pp room from l&d, and the phone is already ringing off the hook and they're not even there yet... bad sign about what kind of pt. you're getting!

Heather

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OH! OH! But my favorite is when they call the nurses station.

"Yes. My cousins sisters aunts wife's babysitter had a baby and she's in room ___ and I've been calling and the phone just rings and rings. Where is she? Is everything OK?"

My first instinct is always to say, "she's probably just in the bathroom. That first bowel movement is a killer!"

Heather

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Well, I don't feel so bad! I also love hearing the phone ring in an empty room! It triggers a reaction I can't stop -- my eyes just roll, it's like I have no control over it...lol

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Originally posted by OBNURSEHEATHER

My first instinct is always to say, "she's probably just in the bathroom. That first bowel movement is a killer!"

:rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: OH, THAT'S IT!!! I AM MOVING TO OHIO TO WORK WITH YOU!!!!

BAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

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Specializes in OB, Post Partum, Home Health.

Reguarding the phone ringing after a pt has left the labor and delivery room. We are able to pick up pt's phones from the nurses station while they are ringing. If I hear one ringing, I answer it "Labor and Delivery" and when they ask for the pt, I simply say, there is no pt in that room at this time. If they don't know that she has already delivered, do you really think that she wants to talk to them. The other thing that I hate is these calls, you answer, they say "can I talk to susan", you ask for a last name, they of course don't know it but offer you this helpful information: She is visiting someone there that is having a baby. Do people really think that we have time to track down visitors when they don't know their last name, or the name of the person that they are visiting?

But, here was my all time favorite, Someone calls and says that they "need" to know how far so and so is dilated. I tell them that I cannot give that info out, I will be happy to transfer the call to the pt herself and she can tell her if she so desires. Person on the phone becomes irrate, says she does not want to talk to her, just needs to know how far dilated. Again tell her that I cannot give her that info. She becomes very upset and says "Well my husband is the father and he is there with her, I just need to know when he will be home." GET REAL, YOU THINK THINK YOU HAVE A RIGHT TO KNOW HOW FAR SHE IS DILATED!!!!

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Originally posted by shay

:rotfl: :rotfl: :rotfl: OH, THAT'S IT!!! I AM MOVING TO OHIO TO WORK WITH YOU!!!!

BAHAHAHAHAHAHA!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Come on down! (or up, or over... whatever applies :D )

We'd have a ball!

Heather

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