Weeks pregnant and abortion?

CarVsTree · Nov 30, 2003

Oh, never mind... I can't say it here. :rolleyes:

fergus51 · Nov 30, 2003

My problem with this is not moral, it's about patient safety. I would never take care of a woman on pp who was being induced at 19 weeks. There is too much that can go wrong and they need more intensive care than a nurse with other patients can give. At the very least a doctor should be there for the delivery. Have you talked to your BON or your hospital's risk management team? I have a hard time believing a hospital would allow this is they knew the type of liability they were setting themselves up for should anything go wrong.

PegRNBSN · Nov 30, 2003

Quote
Originally posted by sbic56
ITA. I leave my prejudices at the door and care for my patients.

Having a belief that abortion is murder and against your moral principles is beyond a prejudice. Forcing someone or expecting someone to assist at an abortion is wrong. I personally would never work at an institution that did abortions as I believe it is murder and morally wrong.

IMO if everyone refused we would be saving a lot of innocent lives

sbic56, BSN, RN · Nov 30, 2003

PegRNBSN

I was wisely reminded this thread was not to be a prochoice/prolife debate, so I sent you a PM.

SmilingBluEyes · Nov 30, 2003

I agree; procedures such as late term AB should NEVER EVER be done on PP. I would be ringing some doorbells of mgt/admin on this one.

PP is NOT staffed to do this and it IS highly inappropriate to have this done on a floor where moms/babies are recovering and bonding. THERE IS DEFINATELY something wrong w/this picture here.

Other than that, I say no more. I still say, if you want to debate pro-life versus pro-choice issues, OR MAKE THIS A POLITICAL ISSUE, please do it in PM. that was not the purpose of this thread to start with!

kids · Nov 30, 2003

Hi all, just poking my Moderator nose in.

The original poster is discribing what (sounds like) an unsafe situation at her hospital and is seeking support and asking for input for affecting change.

Please stick to the original topic and not use this thread as a vehicle for a prolife/prochoice debate.

dawngloves, BSN, RN · Dec 1, 2003

What would your ethics committe have to say about this? Not the abortion itself, but performing a procedure that seems unsafe on a 15 year old that does not fully understand it?

Was she the one that signed the consent?

Sable's mom · Dec 1, 2003

To stick to the original question:

I agree with all who said that delivering a 19 weeker on the PP floor is unsafe - I would think that the risk management team would get involved from the liability aspect alone.

I also have to question the safety (mental and emotional) of any patient undergoing a pregnancy loss - whether elective or not - on the PP floor!What a place to put her, how can she do the grieving she needs with new families around?

It seems to me that your facility is not very aware (or caring) about patients or nurses.

Good luck at that place.

Linda

sbic56, BSN, RN · Dec 1, 2003

Quote
Originally posted by webbiedebbie
This is the only hospital that I have worked at that does abortions. We don't really have guidelines. Is there a "legal" gestational age? The 15 year-old pt is healthy...but I guess her age is the reason to say "terminated for the life and health of the mother". I just had a hard time understanding a "19-week" gestation. Poor thing was told by physician that it would be an "in and out" procedure. Also, I am told he charges the patient a high fee and it must be paid in cash. But WE are the ones delivering the fetus and placenta! AND because we do this on postpartum, sometimes both nurses are tied up and that leaves our other patients w/o a nurse!

I have not worked where abortions were routinely performed, but have assisted many times where in the case of a fetal demise, prostaglandins were used to induce a lady partsl delivery of the fetus. Was this the method used for this abortion?

webbiedebbie · Dec 1, 2003

Cervidil was inserted by physician. We medicate for pain. If she doesn't deliver by 0600, then we start Pit ("Hang 10"). Again, we give pain meds. Then we wait...comfort...etc. Sometimes, they deliver on the toilet. (I really don't think they understand what they are going through...how it feels).

This hospital has been doing this for many, many years. And yes, it has been addressed many times.

I contacted the BON myself and got a reply that as a nurse, I should be capable of handling all aspects of the procedure, including hemorrhage. Yes....I can. But my point is that I do not think it is safe for the patient having the abortion and I do not think it is safe nursing care of our other patients.

I can't change things. This place is so backward. We prep scheduled C-Sections because L&D is too busy with inductions. I was told by my manager that Nursery "owns" breastfeeding and that it is NOT my job to teach or help the moms!

Babies are taken to the Nsy and breastfeeding is not begun in the first hour. We have one manager for L&D and postpartum, and another for nursery and Peds. Staffing is done by numbers and not by acuity. Even if a mom has delivered, she is not considered a number until she comes to our floor.

Yes, I am looking to get out of this hospital. I have to drive over an hour before and after my shift. They pay $8.00 less than the hospital where I live. The hospital in my city is the only one and rarely has openings in OB. They won't hire me because I was out of nursing for about 5 years. Never mind that I have done OB since I graduated from nursing school and I was even certified at one time and a childbirth education instructor.

I was curious how other facilities do OB. I am currently waiting to hear about a travel position. WISH ME LUCK!

L&D_RN_OH · Dec 1, 2003

Good luck Debbie! I hope you are able to find something soon. Your present facility doesn't sound like one that many nurses would be happy in.

SmilingBluEyes · Dec 1, 2003

zoinks, sounds like you have no choice but to seek employment elsewhere huh? I am so sorry.

I would hate this, too.