Yet another typical, busy day

I should have known it was going to be another one of "those" days on L&D today. After all, I was scheduled to work day shift, so what else would I expect? An easy shift? Hardly.

(Some info changed....HIPAA, ya know)

I filled my liter bottle of water, grabbed a half cup of coffee to perk up, and started my day. Thankfully, I ate some breakfast before coming in to work - I would need the protein to make it through today!

I was assigned two patients. Not a big deal, right? Ok, well, let's clarify a bit. Patient #1 was a multip @ 5-6 cms, ready for an epidural. Patient #2 was a primip @ 4 cms. Not too bad so far. (Don't hold your breath for long, you know it's gonna go from ok & do-able to out of control in no time flat in L&D.)

Pt #2 hadn't had the baby listened to for 2 hours (busy night shift staff), so my first priority was getting in to, at the very least, listen to her baby. No antibiotic from pharmacy yet, but no time to call them either. Moving on.......

Pt #2 is uncomfortable. Placed on the monitor. Checked and is now 7-8 cms. She's wanting to know about pain management options, so I do "the talk" about what's available. She asks questions multiple times, but I'm patient with her, knowing this is baby #1 for her. She ends up wanting an IV med. I get it and give it to her.

In to see pt #1 who in the meanwhile was examined and evaluated by the MD for breech presentation. Thankfully, she's vertex. Work on getting an anesthesiologist up to L&D for her epidural.

Still no antibiotic to be found for pt #2. Call pharmacy. They have no copy of order. Find and fax order, which was never signed off from several hours earlier on nights. :::sigh:::

Get epidural for pt #1. Check on pt #2. She wants an epidural now too. Gather my supplies for that. Run back to pt #1 who now is having fetal distress. Fix fetal distress. :::waves magic wand to make this day go faster:::

Finally get antibiotic - 2 hours late. :::wants to strangle night shift:::

More fetal distress for pt #1. Back her bedside. Fix it again. :::pray that her baby doesn't decide to prolapse a cord:::: Check her cervix -- no cord --- can't find fetal head either, but she's in bed with an epidural, so I'm not too concerned. Closely watch both monitor strips when in either room.

Pull delivery meds for both patients. Deposit meds in each room. Did I mention that the rooms aren't exactly close to each other either? ::::puts on roller skates::::

Get epidural for pt #2.

Eat 1 oz of cheese, knowing that I won't get a lunch break.

Run back to pt #1 when she calls out that she needs to push. Pull MD in room with me to deliver the baby. Call out to desk to have someone watch the freshly epiduralized pt #2. ::::hope that someone listens and watches her monitor strip::::

Recover pt #1 and do initial stabilization of her baby. Do baby care. Get my hand squeezed by pt #1 when I check her fundus. Every. Single. Time. (Does that ever get old! Come on ladies! I have to make sure you're not hemorrhaging, and that your uterus is involuting properly!)

Take a minute to pee and finally drink some of that water that I filled in my one liter bottle at 7am.

Resume care of pt #2. Call report on baby for pt #1. No bed for pt #1 on postpartum - unit is full. GO FIGURE - SO ARE WE, but we can't turn them away!!!

Look at unit census, note that all beds are full. Smile, knowing that I don't have to be charge nurse, much less on crazy days like this.

My feet were throbbing by 9am today. Yes, after only 2 hours on my feet, I could feel them throb like a mo-fo.

I was very happy to be leaving at the end of my shift today!

Umm, stay late charge nurse? I think I'm going to ignore you and pretend that you will go away.