kimrncnm

Hi, As a CNM in homebirth practice, I wish I had a good answer for you! I personally don't like ANY of the dopplers on the market that I've tried. They all seem to either be awkward to hold, awkward to keep a fix on the baby's FHT, the probes are long and bulky, the cords are phone-cord style which tangle and make it difficult to assure adequate disinfection between patients....I could go on and on. So...I invested a goodly sum (about $3500) for a Philips FM-2 portable fetal monitor that only weighs about 5 lb and small enough to be very portable. It has waterproof leads, can be used for NSTs or continuous monitoring if clinically indicated. I use it for intermittent auscultation just like a doppler most of the time. It has an LED screen that shows the tracing, the screen is back lit so can use the instrument in a dark room and see just fine, the machine stores the tracings (up to 12 hours worth), you can download the traces onto a PC using the included software, and print out if desired on standard printer paper. If mom and dad are looking for a low profile midwifery presence, I can teach them to use the machine in a few seconds and they can take FHT and dad can bring them out to a nearby room and show me. Here is the link for a brochure with the specs on the FM 2. http://medical.philips.com/us/products/patient_monitoring/assets/docs/FM2_US_2004June.pdf I have heard from other midwives who really like using this or other similar portable monitors in this way. ( The Huntleigh Fetal Assist is a very nice looking product but a few thousand more than the FM 2) As a homebirth practitioner, it's also really nice to have this unit available in the very rare instances of urgent transport to hospital during labor. I can just strap it on and have my hands free to attend to mom as needed. I know...I'm spoiled. I keep looking for the kind of doppler I want, but no one makes what I'm looking for. If I had the connections I would submit a design to one of the big companies! It needs to be waterproof, built like a mac truck, flat round waterproof transducer and no spiral cords to tangle up. But the cord needs to be long enough that I don't risk getting water on the non-waterproof part of the unit while taking FHT under water. It would have a good speaker that doesn't get static-y, an easy to read LED display that is reliably accurate and a reasonable price. Oh well, it's fun to dream! Let me know if you find anything 'out there' that is anywhere near what I'm looking for. Many midwives like the Huntleigh Aqua dopplex...I don't because the probe is long and big, it has a spiral cord that tangles, and I've seen several of the cases crack and fall apart. Have fun on your search, Kim CPM CNM

Hi, The director of my CNM program was a male CNM. He loved OB, then decided after working in OB to become a midwife. I know of a few other male CNMs. They are all excellent providers. I agree with the others, follow your heart! Kim CNM

When I was in CNM school I believe they told us the average age of student midwives was 45! So no, you're not too old! Kim CNM

I would just add that if midwifery is really where your interest lies, there are jobs out there where you only work certain hours/shifts/ etc. Worth checking into if CNM is what you really want to do ;-) Of course in the meantime get your RNC...it will validate the knowledge you possess and your experience. Kim CNM

I do know that May 5 is deemed the International Day of the Midwife, and some OB nurses are also midwives...but not sure of any specific OB RN day. That would be great though...maybe AWHONN should declare one??! from the MANA website http://www.mana.org/IntMidDay.html "The idea of having a day to recognize and honor midwives came out of the 1987 International Confederation of Midwives conference in the Netherlands. International Midwives' Day was first celebrated May 5, 1991, and has been observed in over 50 nations around the world." Kim RN CNM

20,000 drops in a liter 20,000 miliunits of pitocin in 20 units 20 drops in a ml 20 miliunits in a ml 6 cc/hour =120 miliunits in an hour divided by 60 minutes=2 mu/min Sheesh I hope that is right...I've never figured it out before even though I administer it frequently on the job ;-( Someone correct ME if this is not right. Kim RN CNM

I am so sorry you are going through this, I am an LDRP nurse, we have had some sad things lately too. Hugs, Kim

Hey, don't be hard on yourself, I can tell from the list you made for yourself ( and the fact that you cared enough to make one ) that you are a good nurse and doing your utmost to provide quality care. Hang in there ;-) I work at such a small place that we don't get to do our own c/sections..your list may help me someday! Kim

Congratulations on your interview! Frontier is a great school. Kim RN CNM

Where I work we have Watch Child for Labor then we paper chart after they are recovered, however in about a month we will be converting most of our paper charting to Care Cast. Anyone using that? Kim RN CNM

Dear Friends, I just came across this post too....and as a midwife and LDRP nurse, I really appreciate what jgrossberg says above, from the Bible. Life and death happens to us all, it is humbling to do all one can then have to admit once again that we are not in control. My heart goes out to all of you that have ever had a bad outcome. May your hearts heal in time ;-) Sincerely, Kim P RN CNM

Hi everyone....this is actually my first post to allnurses.com. I have kind of an unusual background. I was a 'lay' midwife, then became a Certified Professional Midwife through NARM www.narm.org , then because of legal/political issues with direct entry midwives in my state (IL) I made the choice to become an RN. I went through Excelsior College for my ASN. It was tough to go through the clinical performance exam, but the rest of it was a piece of cake. IL does not accept this college so I got my licensure in a neighboring state. Started working right away on my BSN...finished in 12 months (an online program). Moved up to the IL/IA border, and started nurse midwifery school through SUNY Stony Brook www.usb.edu Graduated after 4 semesters (fall, spring, summer, fall) and passed the ACNM cert exam. Then decided to try being an L and D nurse, got a job in a very low volume Level one hospital that was getting ready to open a beautiful new campus. We have LDRP care...I have been there 3 and 1/2 years. Recently cut back to part time there and started teaching OB nursing clinicals for one of the local ASN programs. I love it. Also recently started accepting home birth clients again. All along I have been occasionally assisting another CNM with her home birth practice, as an RN birth assistant. Am happy to have found this forum and enjoyed reading all the posts on this thread. I definitely could relate to lots of them. Hope to be hanging around for a good while, this is a very interesting site! Kim RN CNM