Mrs.S

we do sugars on admission, at 1hr & 4hrs for babies

I teach NRP; it's a fun class. The algorithm is straightforward. If you read the book and do the practice quizzes at the ends of the chapters, you will be in good shape.

seriously??

LDRP...I love labor

oh my gosh I'm getting gray hairs just reading this thread...

yeah, I think we've all had a nurse taking care of us at one time or another who didn't seem to give a crap about taking care of us. I think they kinda suck.

Most of our docs will try for a vag delivery if baby A is vertex even if B isn't, and will attempt to flip baby B after A is delivered. But only a couple will deliver baby B breech, the rest will section the pt.

EXACTLY. that has happened to me more than once too, it's always a hair-raising experience.

why aren't you supposed to pull the wires apart?

I wish we could come down to the ER to monitor patients. it just seems like much less of a hassle, for everyone.

that's exactly how it goes at my hosp too

I should mention that our is an LDRP too...harder to keep labor patients 1:1 when all you have is labor patients, I suppose. And our hard copy of the strip still prints out in the room off the monitor itself.

One of the experinced labor nurses I work with (our labor guru) recently gave me a tip for working with those unmotivated moms. She said if you present it simply like this: "your baby needs you to______" (position change or whatever it is) that can make all the difference in the world with those moms who just don't seem to want to participate much. it does seem to help.

no it's not really a big deal, it's just one of those things that get under my skin. like when people say sonnameters.

Sorta OT, but modified Sims' position works just awesome to turn an OP baby

I am in WI, and from what I hear that is the norm at the other hospitals in the area as well.

We have central monitoring, and anyone on continuous is still 1:1 unless there are extenuating circumstances, in which case we watch each other's strips. To be honest, I've always been curious what it is like to NOT have central monitoring

I don't know why but it drives me up a tree when I get report and the nurse says (of a twin mom) "she's a G2 P3 now..."

We had a pregnant lady not too long ago come up from ER who, when we started getting her OB history, was like, "Um, I just sprained my ankle..." Got a quick NST and sent her right back down to ER. Now really... Anybody pregnant comes up to L&D at our hospital; there is no cutoff.

As far as I know, AWHONN doesn't support continuous fetal monitoring in labor for women who are low risk. Policy for normal labor patients at my hospital includes neither continuous EFM nor saline lock. If it did, I would have no problem providing education, documenting patient's refusal, and moving on. That's just my job. Nobody's preaching natural birth here. FWIW I do have a BSN, never worked as an LPN, always wear deodorant. I do hug trees. BTW I could draw a few stereotypical conclusions about a couple posters here too, based on screen names alone, but I prefer not to.

My husband will be graduating this winter and has a few job opportunities we are considering. All of them involve moving a significant distance from where we live now. I would really like to find out more about the hospitals in each area because that will really help us make the decision where to move, but I'm not really sure how that would work. I mean, I've found out what I can online, but is there a way you can scope out a place and ask questions before you actually apply? I'm not sure where to start, I guess. thanks

actually, the assignments where you work sound pretty much the same as the assignments where I work, except my unit is LDRP, and we do have central monitoring. Anyone in active labor, and/or on Pit, and/or with epidural, or anyone high risk is 1:1, and we usually keep them 1:1 until recovery is over but sometimes will pick up another, light assignment. And sometimes it's just too busy for breaks but we almost always at least get one. So not all hospitals here are scary

((HUGS)) I do hear you. I went from postpartum to an LDRP unit and felt totally overwhelmed at first too. There is so much to learn in a short period of time. After a year or so I finally got to the point where I was somewhat comfortable doing labor; I no longer thought "PLEASE let me have a mom-baby assignment tonight..." on my way in to work. Now I've been doing it for two & a half years and I love labor; I'd rather do labor than mom-baby or anything else. I think it helps to have the postpartum background, too. It will be easier for you to see the whole picture. This forum is a very good resource when you are learning; I don't post that often but I read through the threads all the time and learn so much from here. Also, 7 or 8 weeks is not really an adequate orientation if you ask me. I had 12 weeks and I didn't feel like that was enough. so don't be afraid to ask for more orientation if you think you need it.

no, no, not at all!! i would love taking care of you in labor!! i've only taken care of a few patients who did hypnobirthing but it worked well for them. it's worth learning about, anyhow. it's good to be well prepared.

That is exactly how I feel; I jump at the chance to work with someone with a thought-out birth plan and/or wanting a natural birth, because most of the women I take care of have the same plan you describe.