How can I say that I am totally beat, when I *only* worked three evenings in a row? Well, I can say that I'm totally beat, because those three shifts kicked me in the patooty!! And they kicked me hard and repeatedly.
I hate to say it, but I cannot remember many of the women I took care of on those three shifts. There were a couple of c-sections in there (I circulated) with a doc that must have a 100% c-section rate when he's on call. (Sigh.)
I worked in triage for part of some of the shifts (how's that for vague, I can't even recall if it was a whole shift, or several partials......I think it was several partials). Yeah, sometimes they run us ragged -- do this birth, then go to triage, oh wait -- now I have this lady who is 5cm and needs a labor nurse to admit her.
You kind of get the idea, right?
Oh wait, I did have two first time mothers who pushed for less than 10 minutes each. Over relatively intact perineums too! (Just some minor skid marks.) That was totally awesome to have not one, but TWO first time moms who were able to push so quickly and effectively!
I swear to you, if it wasn't for the awesome times on L&D and my passion for birth, I would leave this unit in a heartbeat. It has just drained me this week.
9 comments:
I know it is probably a slight exaggeration, but the doc has a 100% c-section rate, what is up with that?
True story: went in to have my daughter on Tuesday afternoon about three. She slides out at seven after three pushes and we shift over to Post Partum where I am the thirteenth mother on the floor. That’s a full house in our small town of 30,000.
I am the ONLY vaginal birth on the floor and eight of the twelve were the patients of one particular doctor in town.
How does that happen ?~!
wv = pretenil what kids do to get sent home by the school nurse.
Hey, as an OB, it can happen. I have had times where it was 6 weeks between CS for me. I've had months with close to a 100% CS rate.
Earlier this month, I had a streak of :bleeding previa, 3 women who refused VBAC, 1 primip who pushed for 3+ hours but the skull didn't budge, 1 34 wk preterm abruption with poor heart tones. This was just how that week went. My CS rate this month loks bad, but I don't regret any of them.
Last month, every who intended to deliver vaginally did...all 16 of them (including a VBAC). My 3 CS were all repeats who declined VBAC.
I know how you feel with crazy evenings. I have some where I come home and feel as if I've been run through the ringer.
If you asked me exactly what happened, I can't tell you until I look at the notes. Multiple shifts in a row of any sort (and my evenings are) just take it out of me.
Can't wait to get my new job. It's all days, but at least, I can sleep at night!
Last night I pushed with a primip for 4.5 hrs. Forceps for an OP baby. I am also exhausted today.
True, me too.
It has been nutty here in the Valley of the Sun as well! My first night on started as the nursery nurse, then to the OR to help with a c/s, then to triage for about 6 hours of craziness, then got a strange (and I do mean STRANGE) transport. Love my job but it sure drains me sometimes!
I hear you guys. Here in northeast ohio we've been crazy busy as well. I work in an LDRP unit. We used to be LDR and switched, and yeah, its nice for the patients, but I really hate having the primip breastfeeder and a walk in active labor. Not fun. I also am the assistant manager on nights, and as far as that goes, our staffing is down and it can get crazy!!! No break, no lunch, "no pee" in 12 hours. But sometimes, you get those "breaks" and I think that's what keeps us going! And the love for the job and our patients :)
Love that I found this blog. I am a labor and delivery nurse in Napa, CA and I can relate to so many of your hilarious posts.
www.laborlooks.blogspot.com
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