Nurse as a patient-how not to be a PITA???

Specialties Ob/Gyn

Published

I don't work in L&D, but I'm about to become a patient there sometime in the next few weeks :) Thinking back to my clinical rotation in L&D and postpartum, I remember many of the nurses complaining about annoying/weird patients and their visitors/birth partners. I currently work in LTC, and I can certainly spout off a litany of my own pet peeves as far as residents and their families. What are the most annoying types of patients in L&D/postpartum? What are your pet peeves? I don't want to be "one of those" patients, and I don't want my husband or visitors to be PITAs either! Thanks in advance for the advice.

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Specializes in OB-Gyn/Primary Care/Ambulatory Leadership.

Dont have sex with your partner in your postpartum bed.

Bring food for the staff.

That about covers it.

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Specializes in OB/GYN, L&D, Postpartum Couplet Care.

IMO, the biggest PITA's are people who show up on the L&D floor with a condescending, critical and suspicious attitude towards hospital staff. If you have a very rigid and unrealistic birth plan (no IV, no continuous FHM, etc), please do everyone a favor and have a home birth.

Now, as an inpatient, the quickest way to annoy the L&D staff is to show up for an induction (especially as a primip) with a huge possy who want to plant themselves in your room, blocking all equipment and access to you as the patient until the birth (which just may be DAYS away, not hours).

My personal pet peeve is when I ask a pt to get comfortable then I'll find the baby's heart tones for monitoring, then they wait until I leave the room to curl up in a fetal position. If you're an L&D nurse, I'm sure you know what I'm talking about.

The BEST patients are those who are nice, ask a lot of questions, are open to sharing their wishes for their dream birth but who are also open-minded to other ideas. I also love/appreciate independent pt's who unplug their toco and U/S to go to the bathroom and plug it back in when they return. Makes my life so much easier and allows me to monitor the strips of more than one pt without finding someone to cover me so I can plug you back in (which is easy, these devices are color-coded).

And by all means, do not insist you're going to have an all-natural birth with no anesthesia if you flip out and cry and hyperventilate when we start your IV or do a lady partsl exam. We simply won't believe you'll make it and I promise, we want to believe and support you.

Good luck to you and I do hope you have a beautiful birth :)

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Specializes in Med/Surg, Academics.

I am not an L&D nurse, but this thread is showing up in the topics side bar, so I'm gonna answer from just a nurse-patient standpoint, not specifically from L&D.

It's your baby, your labor, your delivery. If you need something, ask. If you're in pain and want pain control, ask. If you're cold, ask for a blanket. Be nice, be respectful, as you would toward any other human being.

As a nurse, you know that nurses talk. Let them (us). I have taken care of nurses, coworkers, coworkers' family members, doctors' family members. With a couple notable exceptions, they were the nicest and most apologetic for asking for basic things. I immediately tell them they don't have to apologize because it's my job, and I love what I do. As for the notable exceptions? They still got what they needed and wanted.

In short, be a patient and enjoy it as much as you can. It's a magical time for you! Good luck!

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Specializes in Community, OB, Nursery.

Relax, ask for what you need, and enjoy your baby. You don't need to feel beholden to 'be' on or act a certain way. Common courtesy is enough. Also, know that no one will hold anything you say in labor against you.

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Thanks for the responses!

Let's see...

No sex-I would probably turn down even Channing Tatum right now!

Bring food-I'll see what I can do!

No big entourage-just bringing my hubby.

Don't have a rigid birthplan/demand an all natural childbirth but cry over an IV-Hahaha...no problem there! I wrote on my birth plan that I am a huge candy ass and am in favor of pharmacological interventions.

Be independent-I'm fine with that.

Be courteous-I always am :)

I had my weekly OB check a few days back, and it looks like I have polyhydramnios. I'm scheduled to check in the hospital tomorrow for an induction. I'll be honest-I'm pretty nervous! Last time I gave birth was in 2002, and I've never experienced an induction. However, countless women have survived it, and so will I :)

Thanks, everyone.

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Specializes in OB/GYN, L&D, Postpartum Couplet Care.

Hey Redmorgan, here's wishing you the best of luck tomorrow with your induction. You sound like an awesome pt with realistic expectations and a great sense of humor so I know you'll do great! :)

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Specializes in Pediatrics, ER.

Good luck Redmorgan!! Hope you're snuggling your beautiful baby right now :)

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Actually, my obstetrician's office called me just a few hours before the scheduled induction today and postponed it until tomorrow morning due to a snowstorm we're having! I had spent all yesterday and today mentally preparing myself, and I was so disappointed that I about burst into tears. It's about 2215 here, and my induction is scheduled for 0730 tomorrow. If they reschedule it again, I'll probably flip out. I'm huge, I'm miserable, and I'm hormonal! lol

Thanks for all the kind thoughts :)

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