Tina Hayes MSN, RN

Amy D.* was in what should have been the happiest time of her life: 4 days out from having her much wanted and long awaited first child, a daughter. She was 32 and her husband Eric* was 34 when they found out they were expecting and read every book t...

So glad you were taken care of. We do a better job these days, but not always in rural or local facilities. EMS is definitely a focus for education. Thanks for sharing your story. Tina

Thank you!

As an obstetrics nurse, the birth of a child is all part of the daily work, but always exciting. I went into obstetric nursing because I had great experiences with my own deliveries and wanted to impact other women the way my nurses impacted me. Birt...

It's terrible that this happened to you after so many years of loyal service. Unfortunately, this kind of experience can cause some to leave the profession altogether, so kudos to you for preserving yourself and your dignity and leaving that situatio...

Virtually every nurse has a story about a patient or family encounter that has changed them or their role in nursing forever. I’ve had many memorable encounters over the years, but one changed my career trajectory more than any other. I was work...

Oh my...that is heartbreaking. I'm thankful that you had a merciful doctor. That would definitely be a life changing experience for any nurse. Thank you for sharing your story. Tina

Very well stated and I agree! Thank you for your comment.

I agree. The experience always stays with you, even if you don't realize it. Memories come back at the strangest times. Thank you for commenting.

That's a great way to put it! Thank you for your comment.

Exactly! In our simulation debrief, we emphasize the importance of a good history, which the patient may not always be forthcoming about. Thank you for your comment!

Thank you for sharing that! ED triage has different protocols in different places, but education is the key. Please share with your staff and spread the word.

Absolutely! And we need to remember that not everyone presents with textbook symptoms. Many women are in trouble with lower pressures, and we shouldn't "watch her" until she reaches 140/90. Kudos to you for being on top of things and not taking no f...

Thanks! We have gotten much better at emphasizing this on discharge, but not all hospitals do so. It's important that we educate family members as well since the new mom may not notice the danger signs in herself. How scary! Thankfully it wa...

Very true. Unfortunately, OBED's are not the norm. Discharge teaching does now include theses warning signs, but they can be easily overlooked when a new mom is hyperfocused on her newborn.

Hi brandy1017, We used to believe that it was 'cured' by delivery of the placenta. It's only in fairly recent years that it was noted to occur after delivery, up to 6 weeks postpartum. The risk factors are older women, first pregnancy, obesity, ...

Thank you and you're right. Women of color consistently suffer greater mortality and morbidity. We can do so much better.