Mugwump53

If you are comfortable with the patient's faith/religion, no good reason not to pray with/for them. I, personally, don't know about Wicca, Hinduism, Buddism, Islam, nor could I do a rosary. If I didn't know about them, I would try to contact someone of the faith. I have worked with all those before. Only real problem I can think of was when I made a comment that showed I was religious and an athiest husband jumped all over me.:angryfire I would steer clear of debates. If the patient/family want to pray and you are in the room, there should be no reason not to participate, especially if you are asked. If I notice that is what is happening, I will either stand quietly until they are through, or quietly do only what is necessary and slip out so I don't disrupt. I have walked into a room and found the Muslims on their prayer rugs:bowingpur, Catholics with prayer cards :icon_roll and rosaries (the patron saint of Labor and Delivery is a man! Who would have thought it??), Pentacostals having a "Praise Jesus!" meetings:yeah:, and other Protestant denominations having simple prayers at the bedside. It has made me more accessable when I also participate or show respect.

In the population where I work, 911 is the only way to go with broken water, cervical plugs, a splinter in their butt, "it hurts if I press on my bellybutton." (at 3:00 am) . We try to tell them that Medicaid isn't going to pay for it. But they still persist. I guess it has something to do with "placenta brain."

Personally, I have a butt pack that I wear in front. I am a Labor & Delivery nurse. It covers a world of "sins" and it also keeps them from grabbing things when in the throws of pushing. I have been doing this for 15 years and have been glad several times that my pack was there. One group of nurses dubbed it my "penie" pack.

I am a male nurse in a uniqely precarious position. I have worked OB for almost 14 years now. I have noticed in the answers that many fear to tread where I go every day in my area of expertise. I do try to not work with patients who have been abused. Sometimes it is hard not to, but I prefer to not get into flashbacks and possible problems. Times I have been asked not to work with a woman usually are because the male "significant other" objects. In that case, I usually bring it up to my charge nurse and step aside, or assume someone else's patient(s) as they assume mine. I have also had "problems" with elderly doctors. I don't have the proper genes to work with their patients and they will never use me as a chaperone, even if the patient has no problem with it. I had to quit working with one set of doctor's patients. I could triage them, but couldn't go beyond that. I also was not taken in a job in rural Kansas because a male nurse had not "worked out" before I applied. Makes me wonder if they will quit using any nurses when a female nurse doesn't "work out" either. Then where do you go? I don't know of that many hermaphrodites, who let it be known so they can work where others cannot.

I am very traditional and believe that there is NO reason your wedding ring should leave your finger until your spouse is dead or you divorce them. I was made to cut my ring off when I was in school, and I have never forgiven that professor. :angryfire I had gained about 40 pounds and it was a permenant fixture. My current ring also cannot be removed as I have gained 90 pounds since I replaced the original. If I cannot go into the OR because I have it on, so be it. I had to remove the original so I could get through Nursing School. The current one will come off if my spouse dies.

The only time I haven't seen some type of pushing get a baby out is when they totally refused and just laid there. I have seen 2 C/S because of "lack of maternal effort." Even when there is a language barrier, a baby comes out eventually. Most of the time, the body will take over and do what is necessary. (13 years in the business!~)

Just consider the source! Are they worth me ruining my day to be upset over? They are usually rude/hostile because of frustration or ignorance. Some of the time, you cannot help them out of either. Some people have to wallow in their frustration and ignorance. It is part of their personality. Just consider the source.

If you are not supporting the war, I believe, then you have failed to remember why it started in the first place. I had a yellow ribbon supporting the troops and was very upset when it turned white and decided to surrender! (I have since changed to a red, white, and blue ribbon. Hopefully it will not surrender) The American public is extremely fickle. "I will support you as long as it doesn't take too long, or effect me!" After 9/11 President Bush warned that it was going to take awhile and be a long drawn out process. At the time there were more "git 'er done"s than there was "just let our 3000 dead lie." We have been ignoring terrorists for many years. We have also had waaaaayyyy too many "political wars" fought by Congress. CPT/USA retired, but still serving.

I work with a Doc who hates birth plans. In fact, he tells his patients who come to him with a birth plan, to hit the road. Up front, he tells them he cannot be their doctor. I think, even he, would like this birth plan.

I voted against the T-shirt. I don't wear a T-shirt because it is too d--- hot. I definitely wouldn't wear a turtleneck!!!! They say that men don't go through menopause, but I get some pretty good hot flashes (I'm 52). I guess it comes from working so long with women--I have been an OB nurse for 12 years now, but I got hot flashes in Nursing school back in 1986. Talk to the scrub makers and have them make round necks instead of V. I know of an MD who wears scrubs backwards, so no one will peek (AS IF!!!). I notice that zippered and buttoned tops are a thing of the past. I do agree with the manscaping if you are extra hairy, but I also don't intend on shaving my arms, especially when I have worked with women with much hairier arms than mine. Then there is the colors of scrubs I get stuck with sometimes!! Facial jewelry, fingernails from hell (male and female), beards/chin hairs (male and female), mustaches (male and female), long hair hainging in your work (male and famale), camel toes, body/mouth odor (male and female) and visible cracks (butt or clevage) can all be distracting, offensive and unprofessional. What can we pick on next? You are bound to offend someone eventually.

L&D is one of those jobs that not everyone is cut out to handle. Ask anyone who loves the ED/ER. Nothing is scarier to them than on OB patient. Ask anyone else in the hospital to float to OB/Mother-Baby and they will fight coming for the most part. I am a traveler and find that there are enough jobs for me to keep traveling.