A.Nell

thanks for your opinion.maybe this will work out for me.could be that I am worried about the other types of patients thrown into the mix.I certainly am happy for all info.

Our hospital is going to couplet care and the hospital is moving into a new facility at the same time.I have been both a nursery nurse and a post-partum nurse. Personally,I feel the word,"couplet"is some nice way to hide the fact that the nurse is responsible for 2 patients. A "couplet" does not equal 1 patient. Our facility want us to care for 3 couplets.This makes for 6 patients. I find that I have a better focus to have 6 moms or 6 babies. I can assess my work and make better decisions on the patients that could have potential problems. These patients are my responsibility and we can not pretend that the word "couplet" makes all outcomes flowing and sugary sweet. I must also point out that our unit includes-female surgeries,specialized breast flap surgeries,sick pregnant women,preterm patients,and labor patients. For the 3 couplets,there will be charting on 6 charts.There is reporting to each baby`s pediatrician and reporting to each mom`s ob. Maybe this would work if the doctors were OB/GYN/Pediatricians. I can predict an increased infection rate among infants,incomplete charting,patients having to wait longer for their needs to be met. When I take care of mothers-of course I help them with their infants. I also help mothers when my job is infants. Thanks for letting me vent. I would appreciate suggestions. My first-most priorty is giving the best care and awareness of problems in a timely fashion.