I'm a fairly new RN, in my second job in LDR & PP. Last week, I went in to assess my pt who was a ppd 1 c-section with my preceptor observing. After I was finished, she said "Great job, except that we NEVER do fundal checks on C-sections." Huh?
No one can explain to me the rationale for not doing fundal checks after the patient leaves the OR- the only response was a guess that the docs don't want the opsite disturbed. I have done many postop fundal checks at my former job, and have never interrupted a suture/staple/clip line while doing so. I would think that a C-section pt would warrant fundal checks- wouldn't there be a risk of hemorrhage just as much, if not more, than a lady partslly delivered patient?
It makes me nervous to not to do a careful fundal check of a postop patient. I'd never live with myself if a patient ended up with a bellyfull of blood because I didn't do a proper assessment.
Am I crazy for thinking this way? Does anyone else have a policy of not doing fundal checks on their C-sections? Thanks in advance....
PS: I came from a women's hospital that performed 1000+ deliveries a year. Here, we get maybe 250. Could it be that we are we just behind the times?
