sterile vag exams

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Specializes in Labor and Delivery.

Hi I Just Passed Nclex And Am Working As A Labor And Delivery Nurse Intern...so Far I Love It I Realize There Will Be Days When I Go Home Crying But I Am Sooo Confused As To What I Am Feeling When I Do Sve's I Know They Should Be Very Limited And I Understand The Basic Physiology And Anatomy But Am Very Confused As To Effacement I Am Kind Of Ok On The Dilation Part And Station Kind Of But I Really Want To Be A Great Labor And Delivery Nurse...plus The Dr.'s Are Pretty Intimidating How Do You Deal With That Or Does It Just Come With Experience....?

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Hi! I've been doing L&D for 20 years, and I want to reassure you! Everything comes with time. . . it's all so subjective too. You can have 2 nurses do an exam and get 2 different opinions. So don't worry, you'll feel more confident with experience. I'm sure with your wonderful attitude that you'll be an awesome L&D nurse!:)

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Specializes in 4 years peds, 7 years L and D.

Yes it does come with time! But it is very subjective, and you will even learn which docs check "big" or right on compared to you. I usually say "she is my 3" when I give report. I still dont think I hve the effacemnet down very well after 7 years LOL..DO you have one of those boards they use at prenatal classes to show dilation and effacemnt? They help to practice on to.

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Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.

Practice, practice, practice. And lots of time. Be patient with yourself. It takes time, but you will get it down.

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Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.

As far as effacement, remember this:

the uneffaced cervix is about 1 inch in length. If you can visualize this, you can more accurately assess effacement, to a degree. But don't sweat this detail too much. Mostly, it becomes really important in preterm labor patients or people in labor who are not effacing much. I can't tell you the big difference, say, in a cervix that is so-called 20% effaced, versus 30 or 40%. I usually just chart most findings at 50% and beyond.

This too, comes with time and practice.

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Specializes in RN.

Rub the end of your nose from side to side=it feels like an uneffaced cervix

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Specializes in RN.

When I first used to VE, I used to feel the wall of the lady parts rather than the cervix- I kid you not. One day it just clicked and I never looked back.

I once did a VE on a ? labouring woman, after a very experienced midwife got her at 4 cm, and labour progressing-to what I found was an uneffaced cervix, multiparious cervix- woman was not in labour just had UTI. The midwife just wanted to go home and leave things to me a junior midwife. I was so certain I had done the VE incorrectly I had to ask somebody to check my VE and confirm my suspicions.

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Specializes in Labor and Delivery.

Thank you all soooo much i really want to get good at my job...and learn all that i can....

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i am not a nurse yet-took my boards yesterday. but, i am dying to be an l & d nurse. here are some links to what effacment looks like. it took me some time to understand exactly what effacement was. i hope this helps you as it gives a picture. i learn well with pictures. good luck and i sooo envy your position as a new grad.

http://www.sutterhealth.org/images/hwise/medical/hw/nr551477.jpg[/url]

http://www.who.int/reproductive-health/impac/images_c/normal2.gif

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