Physician Guided Nurse Deliveries

[Antonefamily]

Hey all! I am an RN in Springfield Oregon, and I have worked in Labor & Delivery for 11 years. We have in house Laborists, and since they have been put in place several years ago, nurse deliveries are relatively uncommon. I would say of the 2600 or so deliveries, that we maybe have 20-30 nurse deliveries per year? I don't have solid data on that. But, one of our physicians, and many of our nurses, believe that we should provide some type of training on nurse deliveries, as there are times when even the laborist can not make it, and the nurse catches the baby. Those also seem to have nuchal cords and tight shoulders and all of the other things that make us hold our breaths.

Would I would like to know is, do any of you from other hospitals (with or without laborists), have any type of training for nurse deliveries? Like an annual delivery with a provider where the nurse actually catches the baby?

I Have reviewed this with our Nurse Practice Act, and they believe the training is acceptable, as long as it does not encourage us to actively manage labor, order medications, or do the delivery when there really is a physician available.

Please help! I would love any info and feedback that you have about what you do in your hospitals?

Thank you!

[MBRN23, RN]

My hospital doesn't offer any type of training like this, but I think it sounds like a wonderful idea if the patient is okay with it. I experienced my first nurse delivery (with only one glove and one BARE HAND...it was that quick!) 6 months into my first nursing job, with roughly 4 months L&D experience up to that point. I'm just glad I caught the baby in time and that there weren't any complications.

[Aristillus]

So you're thinking it might be a good idea to do "an annual delivery with a provider where the nurse actually catches the baby" and your Nurse Practice Act says that's acceptable so long as you don't "do the delivery when there really is a physician available." Hmmmm...

No. Just no. You can do drills. You can practice a delivery with a mannequin, going over how to clear the airway, dry the baby, clamp and cut the cord, yada, yada. You definitely should know what to do in an emergency...a shoulder dystocia, a nuchal cord, a malpresentation, meconium, etc. Nurse deliveries are almost always uncomplicated and precipitous. Anyone can catch a baby under those circumstances. There is absolutely no need or reason to set yourself up for all the legal ramifications of doing a delivery when there really is a physician available!

Hey all! I am an RN in Springfield Oregon, and I have worked in Labor & Delivery for 11 years. We have in house Laborists, and since they have been put in place several years ago, nurse deliveries are relatively uncommon. I would say of the 2600 or so deliveries, that we maybe have 20-30 nurse deliveries per year? I don't have solid data on that. But, one of our physicians, and many of our nurses, believe that we should provide some type of training on nurse deliveries, as there are times when even the laborist can not make it, and the nurse catches the baby. Those also seem to have nuchal cords and tight shoulders and all of the other things that make us hold our breaths.

Would I would like to know is, do any of you from other hospitals (with or without laborists), have any type of training for nurse deliveries? Like an annual delivery with a provider where the nurse actually catches the baby?

I Have reviewed this with our Nurse Practice Act, and they believe the training is acceptable, as long as it does not encourage us to actively manage labor, order medications, or do the delivery when there really is a physician available.

Please help! I would love any info and feedback that you have about what you do in your hospitals?

Thank you!