ischialspines

Just curious... What do you put in you put in your pockets at the beginning of your shift, and what do you find when you empty them out at the end? What are the most useful things?

I had a horrible weak the other week and felt like a bumbling idiot. And then last night I successfully managed a critical pt with emergent needs and thought "wow, I feel like a real nurse". I go back and forth and do a lot of crying in between. But ...

well I use an iphone and have an OB Wheel, EFM reference, GBS reference & spanish phrases I use a lot on it, so it has come in quite handy on more than one occasion

Alcohol prep pads, guaze pads, my stamper, chapstick, stethoscope (in a pocket. I can't stand it around my neck), pens, dry erase pen, Dr's numbers, PPH pocket sheet, work phone, my phone, hemostats with a roll of tape, bandage scissors, "good" tourn...

let's share things that work for second stage with our mamas! -LABOR DOWN if mama has an epidural, especially if she's a prime :) Make sure to get her in a good position (L Sims is my favorite most of the time) while laboring down, to promote OA babi...

all of the above, especially if you need to learn more about physiology. For practical day to day inormation, I love the labor progress handbook for positioning, etc. we keep a copy on the unit now especially when we're just running out of ideas.

I cried a few times. It was overwhelming becoming a new nurse and also all of the L&D charting... I wondered how I was ever going to have time to care for my pts. Ask questions. Be easy on yourself. You're not going to get everything right. You'l...

We use 30 units pit in 500 ml NS wide open at delivery of the placenta (pharmacy mixes, this is the same bag we use for labor, just pull the tubing out of the pump, if it has been running through labor we run the remainder of the bag). Then we hang a...

So this is really a bunch of random stuff related to policies and procedures and patients and adjusting to the 'hospital way' of L&D (physiological/expectant mgmt vs active mgmt). But I didn't want to make a bunch of separate posts. Bear with me....

oh yes, and, related to #1 - I really wish docs had different days for seeing pts in clinic than being on call. That would make things easier.

The ob techs at my hospital usually draw the cord blood / gases if indicated (only a couple of docs draw gases routinely). But if we don't have a tech the RN will. If baby needs resusc we have called NICU in and they come running. If there is somethi...

I don't like the idea of pitting an unripe cervix without an apparent medical reason (even though we now wait til 39 weeks), but by the time the pt has come to me, her decision has been made and she has made the plan with her doctor and showed up for...

continuous EFM is all about lawsuits. In 18 years, they'll be a monitor strip to prove the nuances that you did/didn't see. Also, docs like being able to watch their pts from the office now --- a tad frustrating for the nurses sometimes :) Our polic...

We have shoulder dystocia drills at our facility. Everything mentioned above is in it. Also - using the CPR latch to quickly drop the HOB for McRoberts, and don't forget to call for extra hands!

just going to chime in here - I worked with homebirth midwives for years off and on as I was pursuing CPM licensure before going to nursing school (I was about complete with that route when family issues meant I needed to go back to work full time). ...

If they are intact, not that important. Right?

Yes, that is what I am saying. We certainly have not eliminated our nursery in the process and I don't think we are pressuring anyone into anything they don't want. We do gently give families the support and encouragement they need to continue bf. An...

*NOT be in the bed with mamas when they are taking narcotics! should be amended to "not be in bed with SLEEPING mamas while they are taking narcotics!

Our hospital is aiming for baby-friendly as well, and on the whole (on the L&D side), it seems to be having great benefits... especially with the immediate skin-to-skin. I'm seeing mothers that perhaps might not otherwise jump into it really bon...

I was talking about it today with other nurses and the general response is that it can be pretty hurty (not to scare the OP!). Not sure the hurt factor vs. pitting to start labor. And I suppose it can be manually dilated without getting ripe, therefo...

I was just looking this up the other day! I haven't seen this used on my L&D unit and was wondering why not (plenty of pit inductions on unripe cervices, but at least they have to wait til 39 wks now, but that's another story). I also can't find ...

Yes, this is what I've always associated with epidurals as that's what the literature supports- which is why these low low PP temps are surprising to me!

What do you see as the usual 1st PP/recovery maternal temp for a newly delivered mama after a SVD with epidural? I am thinking that the maternal temps are lower than what I am used to (I am new to hosp L&D and have a background in out-of-hospita...

We don't use dynamaps (that's the whole machine with BP and everything, yes?), we have a digital therm in every room so this is the same therm I have used since admission and through laboring (with normal temps). I am going to try and take temps more...

nope. although I've asked them each time out of shock, even though I've just been there and seen them push a baby out and know they've had nothing! I've re-checked ax and had it be about the same. While I'm new to the unit 3/4 moms I've recovered hav...