Misadventure in a Maternity Hospital

Warning: Contains events not suitable for those with a brainstem vomition center that’s easily excitable (whatever). Nurses Announcements Archive Article

Misadventure in a Maternity Hospital

Misadventure in a Maternity Hospital. There is probably no maternity hospital that is as busy as the one I went to during training. It's jam-packed with patients and it's like a newborn factory. Anybody who would want to have exposure to maternal and newborn care, this institution won't disappoint you. It is a government-owned charity maternity hospital with a 200+ bed capacity and situated in the heart of the over-populated metropolis of a developing country, that's why it gets a lot of admissions. It can sometimes reach to a hundred admissions a day, I heard. Services are free, except for the drugs and materials to be used. Since it's a charity institution, this is where students and practitioners go and get cases. Let me share with you my bloopers & guffaws.

Day 1 in this institution, I can already say it exceeded my expectations. An adventurous health care provider looking for action, I was excited to have my first assist. As I went inside, I can hear the four wheels of the stretcher roll against the tiled floor goin' to and fro, in and out of the rooms. There were voices yelling "push" here, "push" there. Moans from labor pains range from the discreet & weak to the ear-piercing shrieks. Some have high threshold for pain and some just make you want to plug your ears...or their mouths (just a thought). Looking at the scene, I got goosebumps...a lot must've responded to the mating call 9 months ago, I said to myself with a snicker. After picking up my jaw that had dropped, I went for my first case.

A 45-year-old multigravida, 39 weeks age of gestation, G14P13...wow...G14...does she has a record to beat or something? And at 45, huh...After an assessment, she was good for normal spontaneous delivery and just as I thought, labor was as easy as coughing the newborn out. She was even smiling at me throughout the supposedly "ordeal" she went through. I jokingly told her that it was a good thing she didn't try to pass flatus on the way here... the newborn would've gone with it.

One fact in the admission of obstetric patients coming from the lowest socio-economic bracket in a developing country is that they often didn't have regular prenatal check-ups. So, they are unaware if there is any abnormality with their pregnancy. Also, since they usually don't have the finances to be admitted and confined at least a day before their expected date, they come rushing to the emergency room due to true labor pains & are already in the first stage of labor.

One time, a patient was wheeled-in into the delivery room and it was my turn to assist. So I rushed to the patient & to my surprise...the newborn's left lower leg was sticking out of the lady partsl opening. I called for the resident obstetrician on duty because that was way beyond my skills. While waiting for the obstetrician and preparing the patient, the patient asked a question. She was wondering what the gender could be. Still shocked after seeing a breach case such as this, I confusedly answered the patient's query. I replied "Well, judging from how the leg looks...I certainly have no idea." What the...?

The delivery room was one big room with 10 delivery tables that were arranged next to each other. I have colleagues working with me with only curtains separating us from each other. This allowed each of us to see each other's work and compare notes. When I was about to pack up and call it a day, a nervous and fidgety colleague on her first day was beside me preparing her last case for the day. She would often come to me for help whenever she was in a bind, so she requested that I stay a bit longer because she feels confident having someone by her side. Being the helpful, ladies' man that I am, I obliged. She was kind of cute to watch because even if this was already her 7th time to assist, she was still fidgety. But this case that she was having, it was different from the other 6 she had. The bag of water hasn't been broken yet. So, she needs to manually break it. I jogged her memory when I suggested that she use an amniotomy or toothed forceps to puncture the water bag. I assumed she's good to go on her own after giving her the tip, so I went back to packing up my things. Upon crowning, she proceeded to puncture the membranes. But there was something I forgot to warn her about. She was so into carefully manipulating the membranes that she didn't realize her face was already directly in front of it. Pop went the water bag and it was amniotic goo-fest all the way. I think the patient also had polyhydramnios... That's about 2000 cc of amniotic fluid right smack in her face! She had to facilitate the delivery, suction the newborn's mouth and cut the cord while having an all-natural facial cream on her face, neck, and shoulders. HCG is good for the skin anyway, right?

- Finding humor in everything that happens in my life makes the hardships easier for me to deal with.-

gingerbreadman0214

About gingerbreadman0214

Former med student, now Nurse.

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Specializes in OB/GYN & Med/Surg.

Hahahahaha, those stories were great! Thanks!

Thank you for reading. I'm glad you find it hilarious.:D I laugh the same way whenever I recall those misadventures. I hope others more would share their own funny nursing stories as well. A good laugh really makes my day.:D

Take care & God bless:cool:

I appreciate the humor. I am a nursing student about to do a rotation for maternity and am going on for my ADN so I appreciate some good jokes, lol.

Specializes in L&D.

I really miss working in a big unit...

150 deliveries a month just doesn't have enough good stories!

hehehehe

Plug the patient's mouth because of her screams? You have no idea how much labor hurts. I find your story to be mean and not funny at all.:o

@ngiguere: Thanks for taking time to read and laughing with me. Maternity is interesting, fun and chaotic at the same time. It just depends on your perspective.:D

Take care & Godbless:cool:

@HazeKomp: Just don't push yourself too hard.:D

Take care & Godbless:cool:

@alliesgal: I'm very sorry if it sounds that way. But it was intended as a joke. You know those thoughts you make when things get "irritatingly" unbearable.:D Cartoony, just to dissipate the stress. Of course I'm well aware of the pain. That's why I try so hard to take my mind off of being irritated by thinking of something to joke about. In my mind only. A screech really makes our head spin, especially if it goes on for an hour or so. Not to mention the occasional pinch, punch and scratch I get.:D Again I'm very sorry. If I could edit it, I would. Thanks for reading, though.:up:

Take care & Godbless:cool:

Thanks for your reply. I may be a bit hypersensitive because when I had my first child (22 years ago), I was young, scared and alone. My husband didn't know how to deal with me so totally he ignored me. My sister-in-law found me lying on the floor of my bathroom where I had fallen off the toilet and didn't have the strength to get up. By the time I got to the hospital, I had been in labor for 20+ hours. I couldn't take any more pain and indeed did scream. I was chastised by my OB for making noise. I have a great compassion for women in labor. The contraction is death and the "rest period" is revival. Since pain is now considered a vital sign, I believe everyone should be a pain free as possible. Keep up the good work Gingerbreadman.:nurse:

@alliesgal: It's a sad story... I got teary-eyed and felt like going back to that day and do my very best to rush to your side. I actually ache when I see a lady crying, much more if she's pregnant. So, I really feel guilty when I'm irritated. You know, sometimes you can only take so much. You'd do almost anything and everything to relieve the stress you're having as a health care provider.

I'm proud of you for being so strong and glad, as well, that the experience gave you a positive outlook. Your OB must be really stressed-out at that time, given the benefit of the doubt.:D Of course, there really should be no excuse. Nevertheless, I will definitely maintain that tolerance I have for those in pain and manage them to be pain-free as possible. I just hope nobody accidentally grabs my gonads or else, we'd be belting out the same note in a duet.:D

You're kid must be loving you so much...

Take care & Godbless:cool:

Heyy, The same thing happend to me a year ago,,not the fluid but the natural perfume"'' URINE"'over my face and uniform ..Not a joke yar,,,I was about to cry,,,,But a hilarious moment for others..

@alche: Well...in my opinion, it depends on how the victim reacted to the situation. My colleague back then was surprised at first then just laughed it off because she admitted she made a boo-boo. We just looked at each other and laughed our hearts out while she was cleaning herself up. It would have been different if she cried, because it would make me look mean if I laughed. If I was there with you when your mishap happened, I wouldn't have laughed if you cried. Though, it would be a bit difficult to stop my mind from thinking it's a bit funny.:D Bad people, those who laughed at you...bad.:D

Thanks for reading. Take care & Godbless:cool:

Thanks gingerbread,

It was totally surprised at first,,so I was about to cry but I didnt,,my coleagues started to laugh before I did,,,,But finally I couldn't stop and joined with them,,thats what I was trying to say,,anyway thanxs for your sweat comment.

alche