When and FIA caseworker requests a meconium collection on newborn of a mother with a drug history, do your docs order this? What do you tell the mother? Just curious. We are working on a protocol...
Wow, BBnurse...what a very tragic case. :-( I would really like to see your protocol. It sounds pretty comprehensive. We don't do the neonatal urine screens here. The MDS is ordered by the...
Meconium is the first stool that a newborn baby passes. If the mother has taken drugs during her pregnancy, it may show up in the meconium and be used as evidence in a protective services
We triage our own labor patients as well. The only problem we have is with patients walking directly up to OB needing an evaluation. There are times when the two RN's on are in the delivery room...
To try to cut costs, one of my staff members suggested making pacifiers a chargeable item. They are about 1-2$ a piece and sometimes patients end up with 3 or 4 of them. Some other people I work...
Sorry if there are some who perceived that this was heating up into a big debate. This was not the intention of my post, however, I do frequently encounter moms who need to know that it is ok for...
"Browneyedgirl, you sound like a very caring and conscientious mommy. Your children are very, very, VERY lucky to have had such a nurturing person to take care of them." You are absolutely right. In...
Thanks to everyone for input on this subject! I am currently involved in the development of a float policy for our OB nurses. I do believe that floating guidelines need to be in place for the...
At my last place of employment, I was doing pericare on an 18 year old girl who had just had a precipitous delivery 10 minutes after her admission. While I was cleaning her up, I found a wad of blue...
Hello Everyone, I work about 50-55 hours a week (not incuding work related reading done at home). I have been in this job 6 months- was a staff nurse on the unit prior to this. My staff are...
Chris B gives good advice. I have been a manager for 9 months now. I love the challenges. There are more "peaks and valleys" in management though. You have to make decisions that are not going to...
I think that moonshadeau says it all. It took me 10 years to finally convince myself that I deserved a break and to quit working through lunches and suppers. With the exception of an emergency...
HI BadBird, Thank-you for your reply. I appreciate it. I have considered agency nurses, but the staff feel that this may create more problems such as resentment over wage disparity, and having to...
Hi Everyone, Is there a certain number of deliveries per year that each of your physicians has to do annually in order to maintain OB delivery privileges? I am curious. Thanks!
Thanks, Everyone. I would appreciate the information before our next OB Committee meeting. We are a small rural hospital and our OB/GYN is wondering if all of the docs should have a minimum number...
Thanks, Stormy That is a great idea! I will talk to my staff about this study. It is the only way to increase staffing. Administration bases decisions on numbers and they are interested in...
Thanks, Jill. I like your story of how an agency nurse stayed on as staff. I didn't think of that as a possible benefit of bringing agency nurses in. I was talking with one of the union reps last...
Hi Jill, Thanks for your response. I do only have one prn staff member right now, with one in training. I am always working on hiring staff, but due to our location, experienced staff are few and...
Thanks, Stormy and Canoehead. I appreciate the support and suggestions. My DON plans to address this issue as there is another manager in the hospital who has the same problem on her unit. We had a...
Yes, Patience 911...I agree with you. The problem is that we have used all of the resources that I have. We staff with 2 nurses per shift and when one of them calls in sick, that leaves only one...
HI Everyone, I am a nurse manager in a small OB unit. There is this male med/ surg night nurse who I think would do well to be trained as a postpartum/nursery nurse. He said that he would like to...
Hi Everyone, Thanks so much for the replies. I appreciate it. Wish me luck! I am looking forward to having this nurse in our unit. His attitude and skills will make him an asset in our