OB clinicals...Am I gonna vomit?????

elisabeth · Apr 27, 2008

We can't do cervical exams in our program, either. I asked my OB clinical instructor when nurses who work in L&D learn how to do them and she said it's pretty much on the job training...

I really enjoyed my OB rotation. I watched the nurses do cervical checks and they just sterile gloved one hand, put their other hand on the pt's knee and in they went. The nurse's head stayed well above the patient's draped knees. Had we been allowed, I would have had no problems doing it.

kxvc · Apr 27, 2008

I just wanted to say:

Good luck with your OB rotation! I'm usre you'll get through it, and that it will be over before you know it. Just think: you won't EVER have to do it again if you don't want to

I know I am equally afraid of starting mine. I really am not thrilled about having my hand up someone's cootch all day. It's just not my thing. I'm willing to learn though, and I'll try to make it a good experience regardless.

TangoLima · Apr 28, 2008

I would be really surprised if you actually ended up doing a cervical check. Vag exams should be kept to a minimum to avoid contamination and decrease infection risk. OB nurses tend to be fairly territorial about their patients, so I would be surprised if she would allow a student to do it. Since exams should be kept to a minimum, the nurse will likely want to do the exam herself to see how far along the patient is, check for dilation/effacement/station, check presentation, and check for possible prolapsed cord.

If you don't feel comfortable doing it, you really shouldn't anyway.

Just my :twocents:

allnurses Guide · Apr 28, 2008

I would venture to guess that it's a rare OB clinical that allows students to do cervical checks. One reason for this is that many OB units are trying to reduce the number cervical checks overall. Another is that it takes many attempts to become proficient at this skill and that isn't going to happen during a clinical. There is so much else to see and do and learn about.
Why don't you ask ahead of time whether this is a part of your clinical or not. You might be stressing for no reason.

:yeahthat:

I can't believe, in this day and age, that a doc will allow very many cervical checks. Even the RN taking care of the pt is limited.

And an LVN/LPN? hmmmm . . .. . . ?

We did not do cervical checks in school. I didn't learn until I was an RN and orienting to L&D.

steph

leslie :-D · Apr 28, 2008

wow.

we never were allowed to do this either (rn).

furthermore, there were so many other learning experiences in ob that were more meaningful...

dealing w/very sick (std's), teen moms, for one.

if it's a matter of pass or fail, then yeah, you'll have to do it.

but if it's voluntary, there's your out.

personally, i'd jump at the chance.

leslie

futurecnm · Apr 29, 2008

Hi everyone. I have OB clinicals starting next week. I am so scared that I'll throw up when I have to do a cervical check. I really, really, really don't want to do this. Please, give me some advise. I'm nervous and really scared.
I've had 3 kids so I know what to expect, for the most part. And I DO NOT WANT TO!

wow, we did not do cervical checks in part mainly due to the attempt to minimize exams and students never do them where we do clinical. But I have to ask, haven't you seen a lot worse in your other clinical (blood, sputum, vomit, feces etc?) A cervical check (in my opinion) is nothing compared to some of the other signs and smells I have experienced.

Shenanigans, RN · Apr 29, 2008

I hope you'll be okay, it's all in the mind. If you work yourself up into knots you won't do so well, just calm yourself. I just look at it all as just a thing connected to a person who needs medical help. I was freaking out the first time I had to shower a guy! But I went in there thinking, he's sick, he can't shower himself, it's nothing rude about it, its all normal, he needs help and I"m the one to give him help. What kind of student would I be if I wouldn't help and I dont' want to learn?

Plus, I just think, how would I feel? If I was in hosp and someone had to shower me who didn't want to, or freaked out? I'd feel terrible. I dont' wwant my patients to feel terrible! So I do my best, get over any hang ups over rude bits and in I go and do my job.

I helped a doctor do a pap on a 17 year old girl, 8 months pregnant and with a horrendous case of herpes, and I just thought to help the girl. It wasn't great for her anyway - the herpes was text book, according to the doc, who then went and got all his white, middle aged chums to have a gander!

Kiwimid · May 1, 2008

i am in my second year of a midwifery degree, and i have done about 8 ve's as we call then over here. i was scared with my first, then they became really interesting. you either like them or not, one tutor said it was like putting your fingers in trifle, and it was. now i can tell wheat i am feeling i enjoy them.....but not too much

AZMOMO2 · May 1, 2008

O, ( got to feel cervix in my beginning midwifery class, but that was just us students...not women in labor so it was NOT the same thing!)

Someone in CLASS volunterred to let you all feel their cervix? WOW ok I am a team player but I would NOT do that. :nono: lol Talk about being close with your classmates.

lilredbedhed · May 1, 2008

I'm with AZMOM on that one.....no way!!!!!!!!!!!!

natrgrrl · Jun 7, 2008

I just wanted to let everyone know that I did not vomit! (Praise the Lord!)

I told my instructor how nervous I was about this clinical rotation and she said, "Well ya! Your hands are shaking like crazy!"

After that, I was fine. She told me I could stand behind her and watch or not watch whatever I wanted but I couldn't just stand around and do nothing. So I volunteered for everything except prego moms. Surprisingly, there was a LOT to do.

I checked lochia, assessed uterus, assessed mom and baby, did all the mom and baby cares I could do. The nurse even let me do discharge instructions for mom and baby while she stood out of sight. I was supposed to get a stool sample from baby for a drug screen but either baby was being stubborn or someone hid the diaper from me!

One thing I didn't expect was to see birth defects. I don't know why but I just wasn't prepared. Anyway, baby came into the nursery with 12 fingers.

Very incredible.

I don't know if it was an MD or NP but she just tied a thread tightly around the extra digits. That's it!

I also got to see several circumcisions using different techniques. I love my little boys even more after seeing that.

Thank goodness for good clinical instructors! They can make or break a student.

TangoLima · Jun 7, 2008

I'm glad to hear you made it through your OB rotation and it wasn't as bad as you had feared. Sometimes we work things up in our minds until they are bigger than they really are. Who knows....maybe you'll actually work L&D at some point. :chuckle

We also had at least 2 babies that I knew of with extra digits during our rotation. They weren't fully functioning fingers, but more like extra chunks of tissue attached by stalks. They also tied string around them until they fell off.

Anyhoo.....glad to hear all went well. Good luck in your future rotations.