The other night at work I had a 17 year old primip come in saying she was contracting every 5min. (She'd been in a few days earlier for this too). Nothing shows on the monitor and I palpate nothing when she says she's having a contraction. Her exam is 3-4cm and 80%, same as in the office previous day. When she came in she was pretty much crying, but after an hour she didnt change so I sent her home with vistaril and she was much calmer. I also gave her the standard advice about take a bath, drink plenty of water etc. etc.
Her mom called about 1/2 hr before change of shift, saying that her contractions were now 3 min apart and she was way more uncomfortable now. There wasnt much else I could say except come back. She showed up at change of shift so I didnt take care of her, but she was howling when she got up to our floor...however again no contractions on monitor or by palpation and no cervical change.
So my question is....what do you do with these pts.? How do you know if they just have no pain tolerance or if maybe there is something else going on...some medical issue or something?
I didnt get a chance to get her mom alone and ask more about her daughter, but she did have a friend there who kept rolling her eyes, so that gave me some insight.
I just feel bad and am not sure what to tell these people. She said if she keeps coming in here, she feels like we are going to hate her. Which of course I said no we aren't...but of course it's going to frustrate us and piss off our doctors...she's only 38 weeks. (And I would like to say here that I would rather she come in if she thinks she's in labor so please dont take my comment about frustration the wrong way).
Sorry guys, and apologies to 33-Weeker, for going on so. Had just finished a long nightshift with a dying baby and did feel a bit over emotional. Again, apologies to all for hi-jacking this interesting thread.
My apologies to you, too, D. I got a little carried away myself. It's all good. No worries.
I am the mother of two, and grandmother of two, and I'm so happy to know, that there are loving, caring OB/GYN nurses, world wide! I was very fortunate, and very blessed! To me birth, was a spiritual and a natural event. Fear can play a big part, so a mother-to-be, needs comfort and reassurance. A good support system is wonderful!
The L&D nurses probably thought I was a "drama queen" when I went to the hospital. My contractions weren't regular and I was dilated 4 cm. Some of them gave me a attitude for coming back a second time when one of the nurses told me to go walk around for a couple of hours and come back. I was scared to go back to the hospital after that. I went back the next day, but only 18 mins before having my DD. Yes I was a young unmarried mom, but that didn't mean I was uneducated about childbirth and labor (read every book I could get my hands on). I was just a little scared as a first time mother. And the pain did seem really bad at 4cm. I just didn't know how bad it would get later on. I am not a nurse yet (I start nursing school next month), but I hope I can try to keep an open mind about every patient. It is really easy to judge people just by looking at them.
btw, my contractions never became regular....which is one of the reasons I didn't want to go back to the hospital. Is it very uncommon for women to not have regular contractions? I am interested because I am thinking about becoming a L&D nurse....even if I don't, childbirth still facinates me.
The L&D nurses probably thought I was a "drama queen" when I went to the hospital. My contractions weren't regular and I was dilated 4 cm. Some of them gave me a attitude for coming back a second time when one of the nurses told me to go walk around for a couple of hours and come back. I was scared to go back to the hospital after that. I went back the next day, but only 18 mins before having my DD. Yes I was a young unmarried mom, but that didn't mean I was uneducated about childbirth and labor (read every book I could get my hands on). I was just a little scared as a first time mother. And the pain did seem really bad at 4cm. I just didn't know how bad it would get later on. I am not a nurse yet (I start nursing school next month), but I hope I can try to keep an open mind about every patient. It is really easy to judge people just by looking at them.
btw, my contractions never became regular....which is one of the reasons I didn't want to go back to the hospital. Is it very uncommon for women to not have regular contractions? I am interested because I am thinking about becoming a L&D nurse....even if I don't, childbirth still facinates me.
Dear Prinsessa, I was a little scared too, the first time. I thought I had indigestion, until my water broke, at home, so they didn't send me home, that time. With my second baby, however, I went to the hospital, early, because I was alone, and didn't want to wait until, the last minute. You guessed it, they sent me home, and I stayed home, almost too long, thinking I could drive myself in. I called my dear MOM, and she came and got me, and we arrived just in time, at the hospital. It takes a very special kind of person to be a good nurse, especially in Obstetrics, I'm glad you want to be one!
Specializes in Specializes in L/D, newborn, GYN, LTC, Dialysis.
Prinsessa, you sound very reasonable to me, not at all a drama queen.
And I too am glad to be associated with and personally know (here and at work) so many caring OB nurses as well, Classic. The good ones definately outnumber the bad, in my experience.
She ended up staying and having her baby when she came back that second time. Don't know if she made change, or if the doctor just decided to break her water, but thank goodness. Poor thing...She was just one of those tricky pts. that this fairly new nurse doesnt always know what to do with!
33-weeker
412 Posts
My apologies to you, too, D. I got a little carried away myself. It's all good. No worries.