I don't know why but that statement makes my jaw clench up everytime I hear it.
I had a patient the other day ask me how I was going to insert a foley since "the head is down there, wont that hurt the baby?" For the love god, people .... come on .. 2 HOLES! SERIOUSLY!
and my favorite of all time ...
"Does that machine beep everytime I dilate?" .. this one left me speechless
Please share your "omg, no she didn't say/ask that" quotes
Hey guys, please bare with me if this has already been asked. I am only on page 15 but wanted to ask just in case I get to the end and it wasn't. Also, forgive me as I know nothing about babies while they are in the hospital. I asked this only because I'd rather know for a fact and not assume: what exactly is the purpose of a baby warmer and is the baby fully dressed while in it or only in diapers? Thanks, love this thread!
Hey guys, please bare with me if this has already been asked. I am only on page 15 but wanted to ask just in case I get to the end and it wasn't. Also, forgive me as I know nothing about babies while they are in the hospital. I asked this only because I'd rather know for a fact and not assume: what exactly is the purpose of a baby warmer and is the baby fully dressed while in it or only in diapers? Thanks, love this thread!
The purpose of a baby warmer is, uh, well . . . to warm the baby. At birth, the baby is covered with various fluids. Being wet can lower your temperature significantly in a short amount of time. Think of how cold you can feel stepping out of a swimming pool. Newborns are placed under radiant warmers immediately after birth so that they can be cleaned up and have other procedures done without experiencing serious heat loss.
After the delivery period, babies are placed under warmers when they have difficulty maintining their temp. I had a kiddo a couple of nights ago who had very little body fat and had a hard time, even bundled, keeping his temp in the normal range.
Babies do not wear anything but a diaper while under a warmer. If they were bundled, the radiant warmer would heat their clothing but not much would penetrate through the fabric to them. In fact, there have been cases where cold babies had blankets or some other covering placed over them while under the warmer and they continued to deteriorate to a dangerous level.
I know it's a challenge to see a tiny baby nearly naked under the warmer. It just seems wrong to strip a cold baby that way and leave it lying there. But, trust me, it's all right. As someone who works standing next to the warmer, I feel the powerful heat that these things generate. I now prefer to think of the baby as basking in the sunlight on a tropical beach. The important thing is that radiant warmers really work and the kiddoes end up comfy and warm.
You know, I can understand needing to vent at times. There have been times in my nursing career where I have been mistreated by a patient, and it is hard to deal with, and I have vented to my coworkers. But, feeling the need to vent because a patient asks a question, or because you hear the same questions over and over? That is a bit baffling to me. Is answering patient questions seriously so overwhelming to you that you need to vent?
I am with the nursing student on this one. The average Joe and Jane in America doesn't have the medical knowledge that we do, and they are looking to us to answer their questions. Some of y'all are seriously way too easily annoyed. What is wrong with using the term "take the baby?" You all know what they mean. Just because they don't say, "The doctor is going to perform a Cesearean section" that is annoying to you?
And I agree that the remarks made to the nursing student were condescending. They were made with the intent to discount his or her opinion, which is condescending.
Again, I understand the need to vent when dealing with situations that are truly difficult. Answering a question or educating a patient is part of the job. Even if you are as sweet as pie to your patients, they can pick up on your attitudes.
Whew, I just read through about 2 years worth of this thread! What a bored 36 weeks preggo nurse I am. Anyway, these are hilarious and I hope that I don't add to the ammo when I go in to deliver!
me too. Due to be induced in two weeks. Million more things to worry about now.
Hey guys, please bare with me if this has already been asked. I am only on page 15 but wanted to ask just in case I get to the end and it wasn't. Also, forgive me as I know nothing about babies while they are in the hospital. I asked this only because I'd rather know for a fact and not assume: what exactly is the purpose of a baby warmer and is the baby fully dressed while in it or only in diapers? Thanks, love this thread!
Baby warmers are great for premies, resuscitations and extended observations, when we need to observ or work on the baby naked (or with just a diaper), but they are not neccessary for the vast majority of normal, full-term births. Those babies can be dried, assessed and even given BB o2 right on moms abdomen. (just take to o2 mask off mom and hold it near baby - great trick in a pinch - mom doesn't need it anymore)
A mother's skin temp will actually rise if a cool baby is placed on it. When you put baby skin-to-skin with mom and cover the exposed areas of baby with dry blankets or mom's covers, the baby stays warm much better than on a super-heated but still drafty warmer. You can even rewarm them faster after a bath this way than with a warmer. I've done it. But!!! MOM MUST KEEP BABY COVERED and not lay him out on the bed naked when you leave the room. Just stress this and check back to see that she does it right.
You know, I can understand needing to vent at times. There have been times in my nursing career where I have been mistreated by a patient, and it is hard to deal with, and I have vented to my coworkers. But, feeling the need to vent because a patient asks a question, or because you hear the same questions over and over? That is a bit baffling to me. Is answering patient questions seriously so overwhelming to you that you need to vent?
I am with the nursing student on this one. The average Joe and Jane in America doesn't have the medical knowledge that we do, and they are looking to us to answer their questions. Some of y'all are seriously way too easily annoyed. What is wrong with using the term "take the baby?" You all know what they mean. Just because they don't say, "The doctor is going to perform a Cesearean section" that is annoying to you?
And I agree that the remarks made to the nursing student were condescending. They were made with the intent to discount his or her opinion, which is condescending.
Again, I understand the need to vent when dealing with situations that are truly difficult. Answering a question or educating a patient is part of the job. Even if you are as sweet as pie to your patients, they can pick up on your attitudes.
I hear you. I must admit, though, that I have been on both sides of this issue. Bottom line, I agree that we should give people the benefit of the doubt when they ask us questions and continue to remind ourselves that before we had the knowledge and experience we now have, we too might have asked many of the same things.
In NICU, I find I must remind the nurses when they fuss about moms wanting to have their babies early that mom's don't have a feel for what it means for the baby to be born at 33 weeks or 34 weeks, etc. All they know is their friend, sister... had a 34 weeker and the baby is 'fine now'. The are just tired of being pregnant.
I also get upset when nurses practically get angry at visitors who do things that are against rules that are not clearly posted - like they are just supposed to KNOW and have it memorized like we do.
On the other hand, there are things I get tired of hearing - like nearly every family in the delivery room asking the baby's weight before we even put the baby on the scales. Now give me a break - they haven't take their eyes of the kid since it was born. Do they think we just guess??? Even so - I try and remain polite and remember that they are just caught up in the moment and the adrenaline rush, and are not putting their brain in gear before putting their mouth in gear.
I don't mind when people ask honest questions, even if they sound silly, or downright stupid, to my experienced ears. I have a BIG problem when people who have no grasp of pathophysiology nor treatment recommendations for a given illness want to tell me what I should or should not be doing for their relative with said illness. I understand that people feel a loss of control in the hospital, being that they are subjected to seemingly arbitrary routines, policies, etc. I do. But there is a nice way to suggest or say just about anything.
A while back I had a patient and family for 12 hours and the following conversations ensued:
"How often are you checking her blood pressure?"
"Every shift, every 8 hours."
"Well, being that she's in here for blood pressure monitoring, don't you think you should be checking it more often?"
[Keep in mind pt's BP was 130's-140's over 80s-90s, at 35-ish weeks pregnant. Nobody's going to do anything about that.]
Family member walks out to nurses' station and says
"I need 3 straws." [no "please", no "could you bring me..."]
I go get the straws and upon giving them to him, he says, "I'm tired of being here, I've been here so long y'all oughta start paying me."
I get so irritated when pts. say... "I want to give the baby my breast." I don't know what it is about that simple statement that just makes me want to jump through the ceiling!
The other thing is when the family/visitors arrive to the unit before mom and baby because PACU can't stand it anymore. So you explain they can wait in the room, but when the pt gets here we need them to step out for 5 minutes so we can talk to mom and dad and make sure the baby is ok. They are always most receptive to this and very agreeable, but as soon as the stretcher rolls up you could light a fire under there butt and they wouldn't get out of your way!
I get so irritated when pts. say... "I want to give the baby my breast." I don't know what it is about that simple statement that just makes me want to jump through the ceiling!
Makes me want to say "well, wait 15 years and she'll have two of her own".
Friend or relative of patient, "Can I have some medicine too?" And when told no, "Why not? You got some aspirin or tylenol, I know. I can get it from the store, it's not like it's a prescription!" Well, please go to the store and help yourself!/QUOTE]
Just as charming is the relative of an ICU patient who asked us for some coedine for herself. When we wouldn't she said "well can I have some temazepam instead?" Um how's no sound???
OK me again, I know this is totally un on/gyn related but I loved this call. Had the 180kg man in ICU, on a ventilator for 3 days, basically had respiratory failure cos he was too fat to breathe... hx of permanent BiPap at home (like a ventilator but without the tube for those who don't know). Anyway he got extubated. The first two topics of conversation:
1. "I want a cheeseburger". Um I think that's what got you in here!!
so wife runs off to get him a cheeseburger
2. while wife is away getting said burger: "Oh, my wife has really let herself go lately" Yes it must be so difficult for youwhen you look like Brad Pitt. After he ate Jennifer Aniston AND Angelina Jolie!!!
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RNDreamer
1,237 Posts
Hey guys, please bare with me if this has already been asked. I am only on page 15 but wanted to ask just in case I get to the end and it wasn't. Also, forgive me as I know nothing about babies while they are in the hospital. I asked this only because I'd rather know for a fact and not assume: what exactly is the purpose of a baby warmer and is the baby fully dressed while in it or only in diapers? Thanks, love this thread!