Is this common practice?

[manna]

I was watching one of those Maternity Ward type shows on TLC late last night.... one of the mothers there (17yo) was being induced and wanted an epi, but didn't want her husband to leave the room. The MDA refused to put in the epi unless he left the room, which he wouldn't, and stormed out. They eventually called him back in 3 hours later and had him put in the epi with the husband pacing the hallway. (Of course with the medi-docudrama shows produced for TV, there's no telling how much of the story is "left out")

I thought this was odd, since when I had the epi with my first son my husband was actually the one who stood there and helped me "curl up." Was just wondering if this is pretty common (or maybe it varies by MD/CRNA preference)?

(This question serves no purpose other than to satisfy my own personal curiosity LOL)

[tn_sunshyne]

In our hospital (which is a University teaching hospital), it is our policy to ask all family members to step out while placing the epidural. Generally there is one nurse and anesthesia resident or SRNA and the attending anesthesioligist present. Maybe local or private hospitals practice different standards.

[Spidey's mom, ADN, BSN, RN]

I've never had that happen. We always let a family member be the one to hold the patient while she is getting her epidural. It is a great relief to the patient to hold on to someone she knows and helpful to me so that I can assist the CRNA.

steph

[pghfoxfan]

I'm a nurse, and my husband is an Anesthestist, and he was asked to step out. I think it is a common practice and physician preference.

edited to say...hell...at that point I just wanted the epidural!

[kids]

Originally posted by SmilingBluEyes

...The s/o or one family member remains to support the patient in proper position or hold her hand. Most often, they sit up and lean over a tray table, and the s/o holds her in position or "hugs" her as she hunches over for the epidural placement...

(I forgot to mention earlier) This is pretty much how it is done in my area. With my daughter's in Jan 03 she sat on the EOB, I sat close in a chair facing her. The CRNA positioned her and I hugged her to hold her ther. Also there was no nurse in the room, just me, Andrea and the CRNA.

[kids]

Originally posted by Dayray

...When my wife was pregnant with our first we were 16 and 17...

OMG Dayray! I am absolutely mortified. In the 2+ years we have both been posting here I never once picked up on your being male. Please accept my apology for stereotyping.

[Dayray, RN]

OMG Dayray! I am absolutely mortified. In the 2+ years we have both been posting here I never once picked up on your being male. Please accept my apology for stereotyping.

No apology necessary. Although I do post from time to time about men in nursing and the issues that go along with that, it doesn't bother me at all that you haven't noticed my gender.

I'm actually a little pleased that my posts don't stand out as different from anyother L&D nurse.

[Dayray, RN]

what a shame you were treated so badly, dayray. If ANYTHING I am EXTRA-sensitive and caring with teen parents. They need our support, not judgemental meanness at times like this. I bet you use this experience as a means to turn things around as much as you can. I imagine you are VERY kind and caring to ALL parents, particularly our teen moms. Good for you! You seem like the type to treat others well anyway.

Thanks for the compliment. I think that my past experiences have effected my care for the better and teen parents are especially close to my heart. I don't have rose colored glasses when it comes to them but I can certainly relate to what they are going threw and hopefully impart a little advise or insight when appropriate. I love working with teen parents and more then once have had to advocate for them.

I also relate to allot of other social issues we see in L&D. Sometimes I think I am lucky to have experienced just the right amount of hardship/pain to relate to people but not have my life ruined by it.

[AmberL&D/RN]

I have worked in numerous facilities and have found that it is up to the anesthesiologist. I have worked at one hospital that the anesthesiologists would refue to put it in unless ALL family members stepped outside. They wanted minimal distractions. Monitors had to be turned completely down and tv or radio OFF. On occasion if the FOB refused toleave some would let them stand off to the side but be behind the nurse so as not to see or interfere withthe procedure. I found that if I informed the family well enough in advance that when he got there they would be expected to leave the room it went over better. I would say something to the effect of it being a good time to make phone calls, get coffee, snack whatever. Most of the time it ws no problem, but we woud never let it escalate. The nurse was the one responsible for clearing the room but if I had a Dad that was adamently refusing to leave I would let the doc handle it, since the dad wasn't bothering me! 9 times out of 10 the anesthesiologist would never say anything to the FOB, but I heard about it later from the doc. But whatever, just let it roll. My job is to keep family happy, and patient safe.

[elleRN]

I have worked L&D in 3 differnt facilities and it is hospital policy that all family members leave the room for epi placement. how can you trust that him or her wont pass out, or cause trouble. i would never let someone else hold the pt, what if they jumped or moved the pt and something happened. I like this policy and I've never come across a patient and s/o who didn't understand the reasons for stepping out, and put up resistence.

[fergus51]

You can't guarantee they won't pass out or cause trouble, but that's also true for the whole birth process. I can say I have never had a family member cause a problem. Ever.