hillaryd
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Very interesting reading. I see both sides...the teen mom in me wants to scream out that it isn't all about trying to feel loved, or just wanting a baby, etc. The future nurse in me is shocked and apalled and can't believe that anyone who still shops at Limited Too can possibly be come a mother. As mother of a 9-year-old, I'm scared to death of what my daughter might go through. The fact is, no one at any age is ready to have a baby before giving birth. You can read every book in the world on pregnancy, childbirth, and "Your Baby, Age [insert number here]" and not have the first clue. Another fact is no one should be judged for being excited about the birth of a baby. Babies are miracles, no matter what age the mother. There is no reason a young mother can't talk about how fun a baby will be. How many 25-year-olds come in bemoaning their pregnancies because the baby is going to keep them up all night? I would be more worried about those moms than the ones who are excited. Again, age is not a factor here. I am not accusing anyone of doing this or condoning this behavior, but berating a young mother is NOT going to help. In fact, she may grow to resent the child she is carrying and be less likely to care for it properly. Now, the root of the problem (according to my problematic self, I suppose?) is a severe lack of sex-ed. We learned about STDs in health class. Abstinence was the only birth control taught. Yes, it is the only 100% fail-proof method, but the fact is few teens (none that I knew/know) actually planned on having sex. It just happens. When I conceived my oldest daughter, was I thinking about anything except (and excuse my humor) "Oh baby that feels good!"...? Nope...I wasn't thinking about feeling loved, or wanting security, or STDs, or anything except how I physically felt at the time. No one inserts the warning "Hey, it'll feel good" before the obligatory "don't do it!!" Certainly no one told us where we could get birth control or even what was available. I plan to earn my CNM; my dream is to open a birthing center especially for young and unmarried moms so that I may help educate them on childbirth and parenting options. For example, no one spoke to me about breast-feeding. I had to ask the nurse when I could bf my daughter, and she gave me the most incredulous look, stating that she assumed "the" (not my) baby would be bottlefed. I hate to think of anyone else having to deal with this kind of prejustice. I'd also like to put together a sex-ed course for parents to attend with their children. Dry facts and scare tactics don't work...I feel that sex ed would be best presented as any other class--information laced with true-life examples and a touch of humor, as well as open discussion and a Q&A session. Knowledge retention would be much higher, and perhaps a more light-hearted, frank approach would help open the lines of communication between parent and child. I've typed long enough; I apologize if I wandered near incoherancy; 12-hour graveyard shifts will do that to you. Take care!
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MommyJoy--what hospital? I'm in the KC area; my first was delivered at Olathe Medical and my second at St Luke's South.
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I start this fall in Johnson County Community College's ADN program (Kansas City, KS area)
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Alison, I'm glad that you were given the options that involve keeping your situation in the privacy of your own home. That sounds like an excellent nurse who really does understand the needs of her pts. I also wanted clarify--there are 'no interventions' and then there are 'NO interventions' (meaning, if mom and baby are both to be healthy then God Himself had better fly in the window). When I say 'no interventions' I mean no unnecessary interventions. Monitoring is important; checking for GD and Rh issues is important; having a completely pain-free birth between the hours of 9 to 5--eh, not so much. I feel my biggest struggle will be tolerating (with at least well-feigned respect) the decisions of the moms who walk into the hospital barely contracting and demanding an epi, or the ones who don't even want to give BF a fighting chance, etc. It'll be interesting to see how I learn to cope with this...I might be as bad as the RNs who stress if their laboring moms aren't drugged up and sleeping through the process! (just kidding...I hope I'm a bit more professional than that)
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I find it fascinating to read all these stories. I'm a student nurse that plans to continue on to earn my CNM. My decision was based on not only the birth of my 2 girls, but also as playing childbirth coach at a few friends' deliveries. My first daughter I used my FP as an OB. I'm sure some of his reluctance to pay any sort of attention to me was due to the fact that I was 17 at the time, but for heaven's sake I was the patient. I had to fight kick and scream (literally at times) to keep my daughter's birth as my own. I wanted no intervention, natural childbirth if at all possible. I had read everything I could get my hands on about the matter, and feel I my decision was an educated one. The battle started two weeks before my due date. He wanted to induce me because I was "too small". I asked why he said that, and he said that no one my size could deliver a full term baby. Now, my tummy was HUGE, as I am only 5'2" and there is no where for the kid to go but out! While the idea of not being pregnant anymore was pleasant, I wasn't dilated/effaced at all and my daughter hadn't dropped one bit, so I declined. The next week, same story. Week of my due date, same story, except this time with my lovely doctor telling me horror stories to try to scare me into it. On top of that, while waddling through the hall after my appointment I hear him talking to a nurse about how he has this patient that just won't let him "pit and cut" (which I assumed was 'pitocin and c-section'). I don't know that he was referring to me, but I took offense. Actually, I hope more than one pt was giving him grief over it! One week post-edd, the dr tries telling me that the baby could be in distress because she was "so late". I asked to have a NST to see if she was OK, and he huffed "Never mind, it isn't necessary." (Leading me to believe that again, I was just inconveniencing his schedule). 10 days post-edd, I had a scheduled appointment. Lo and behold I was in labor, 3cm and 75% eff. I don't know what station she was at, but she had definitley dropped as I could breathe again . At the hospital, same story. Dr wanted AROM, I said no; wanted pit drip because he "has dinner plans at 6 and doesn't want to miss the birth" (don't get me started on this charming statement); to top it off, the L&D nurse I had apparently wanted a drugged incoherant pt as well, as she asked me every half hour if I was ready for my epi yet. I persevered, and by the time I broke down and asked for drugs I was well into transition so it was too late. While pushing, I started complaining about my back and the nurse told me to try all 4s...I did, briefly, but realized that felt even worse (thinking of a certain scence from the Alien movie here). When I didn't stay down she pushed me into that position. My mom swears I took a swing at her; I don't remember that. I know I demanded that she not be allowed in the room, and screamed at her to GET OUT the next time I saw her. The end result, I had a healthy, normal, non-intervened (is that a word?) baby girl weighing in at 9#5.5. The dr said if he'd have know she was that big he'd have never 'let' me go full-term. My second daughter, I had a CNM who practices with an OB/GYN and the difference was night and day. I had a NST at 10 days post-edd. I was never asked to be induced (AROM, pit, or otherwise), the hospital experience was wonderful (they let me eat! another source of battle with my first). My mw even called ahead to the hospital once I was ready to go to make sure I had a nurse comfortable with non-intervention L&D. I did have a few complications, but nothing major. My 2nd started face-up, then after pushing for a couple of minutes backed herself up and turned around, and after she was born I bleed pretty heavily, but a shot of methergine took care of that. At no point did a doctor come in to 'fix' things. This child was tiny at 8#9.5 This post has gotten long. I know there are good doctors out there, and I have probably experienced complete opposite ends of the spectrum, but the fact remains that had I not educated myself, who knows what might have happened with my first birth. She is now 9 years old, healthy, and suffered no ill-effects at the hands of the delivery; likewise, my younger (4yo) is the same. The difference is how I remember bringing each of them into the world. With my 1st, I had to fight to keep control of MY delivery, with my 2nd it was never a question. My mw even said that she wasn't there to deliver the baby--that was my job. She was there to help me along every step of the way. In L&D, the nurse assigned to me kept that theme--she never said "I'm doing this..." She alwasy said "I'm helping you to..." It's a small difference, but one that makes a huge difference to the most important person in that room--the patient!! I'm sorry I rambled on so much about this. It's something that is very important to me, and I hope that I do well as a nurse and a midwife to provide the kind of well-informed, calm birthing experience that I had with my 2nd daughter. Counting my girls, I've already 'delivered' 3 babies...2 of them my own and one of my best friend who said she had to push--tried to get her to do shallow breathing until someone (anyone) professional could get in the room...apparently she couldn't wait and asked me if she was feeling the head. I looked, and sure enough there was Hannah poking through. My friend's mom ran to find a nurse or dr and when they finally (and by finally I mean probably 30 seconds later) I was standing there with a very bewildered look on my face holding a slimy screaming baby girl! If only all births were that simple
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He is most likely referring to the 2-year RN (AAS) program, not the LPN program (10 month). Since when does KU have a BSN program that is less than 2 years? I thought all bachelor's degrees were a minimum of 3 years. There's nothing wrong with having a community college be your first choice. I spent 2 years at KSU and hated it. Also, you have to consider that money-wise not everyone can afford a university. That's why I chose JCCC; I have kids to feed and that wasn't going to happen at $5000 a semester for 4 years!
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OK, now that the excitement over getting an acceptance letter has passed, I'm a little freaked out. Some of the stuff they are asking for is making me nervous. Health history, I understand. Dental records...? A little bizarre, but OK. Credit report?? WHAT??? Anyone have any insight as to why they need to know whether or not I am having trouble paying my bills while I am a student (which I am)? Surely they wouldn't decide I'm unfit for the nursing program based on that? Also, I don't have health or dental insurance...could this adversely affect my acceptance? Maybe I'm being a bit paranoid, but I can't help but wonder why they would ask for this information if it was inconsequential.
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i apologize for posting my happiness. i guess i just figured if i got in then surely y'all would. i'm sorry you guys weren't selected. i'd had liked 'knowing' some people in the program (even if it is via the internet). the answers to your questions, john: what is your gpa towards the nursing program? 3.76 (my science courses are all a's) how many credits do you have towards the nursing program? as of time of application, all but anatomy and physiology (i had taken it previously at ksu, but it had expired). i have it this semester. what were your act science and overall scores? science is 32, overall is 31 other possible factors (maybe???). i have my aa, and in the interview when talking about the nursing program i brought up my plans to pursue a masters with focus on certified nurse-midwife. that part of the conversation was one i personally thought was a bad idea afterwards because i brought up how i had my oldest daughter when i was 17 and my dream is to open a birthing center specifically for young/unmarried moms. the interviewer asked a lot of questions about that, so maybe that helped show my passion for the field? altogether though, i am honestly surprised. i thought the interview went horribly--i'm much better at doing than talking about doing, and i know there are people with better grades and act scores than me. tember--i'm so glad ku is an option for you! i know several people in their bsn and it's a great program. i wish i had the time/$$ to go that route, but my kids can't starve just so mom can go to school (again). :) john--you should definitely give kckcc a try (as well as keep trying at jccc--even the lpn programs would get you one step closer). kckcc accepts in the fall and the spring, and it is also a great program. that is so weird jccc didn't rank you...you'll have to let us know what they say about that.
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Had anyone indicated whether or not they had made the decisions or not? A friend of mine in dental hygiene said they were deciding who got in today. I wonder if the nursing program is just not getting the letters out, or if they don't actually know who to send the letters to yet. Although this late into my pay cycle, I could use another week if I get in. After some unexpected lab tests (that turned out pointless, of course) I don't have the deposit money readily available now!
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I'm aware KCKCC only accepts 10 non residents, but that's 10 more chances than with JCCC alone. JCCC is my first choice, but I'm not willing to sit by and wait for them alone. If I can get into a similar program sooner, then I will. Plus KCKCC's nursing program begins twice a year, so that makes 20 slots a year. If that makes sense.