Yesterday I was the nurse assigned to receive two babies.
The first one in the morning was a to a woman who was scheduled for a cesarean section because of breech presentation. When the incision was made and the presenting part removed, it was discovered the baby was vertex - not breech.
Then, in the afternoon, I was assigned to receive a baby whose mother had labored and finally got to full dilatation, only to discover that the baby was breech. So, she was sectioned as well.
If, in this day and age, doctors cannot utilize modern technology or good old fashioned leopold maneuvers in order to correctly diagnose breech deliveries and avoid unnecessary sections and unnecessary laboring (when they refuse to deliver breech), then it is a sad situation, indeed, in obstetrics today.
Saturday, September 27, 2008
Thursday, September 18, 2008
Thinking for Yourself
I'm still in my preceptorship at work. I feel comfortable going to my preceptor for help when I'm not certain about an issue. But, I realize it is still my nursing practice and ultimately my license on the line when I make a decision. Yesterday is a prime example of this fact.
We were assigned to a post-op patient. Occasionally we do get over-flow post-op patients from the general floor if our census is low. The patient had a lot of orders and medications we don't usually deal with. We usually deal with OB patients and their babies. But, we had this one patient that was fairly critical and required a lot of our attention all day.
There was a medication ordered for routine administration at one point during the day. I asked my preceptor what she thought about giving it considering the patient's current condition. My preceptor thought about it a second, then said, "Yeah, let's give it."
I went into the medication room. I was uncomfortable as I put my pen to the MAR. This was MY name I was signing to this action. This is MY license. So, I put the vial down and opened the drug handbook. At the very end of the section about this medication there was a statement saying this medication was not indicated for patients showing a specific condition: the exact condition my patient was showing!!
I am thankful I honored my feelings. I knew I felt uncomfortable, but could have just ignored that feeling or pushed it aside and given the medication because my preceptor told me to. But, I didn't. I honored my feelings.
Everyone CAN and WILL make mistakes. But, make the mistake yourself. Don't take on other people's mistakes. You will have enough on your own to worry about.
We were assigned to a post-op patient. Occasionally we do get over-flow post-op patients from the general floor if our census is low. The patient had a lot of orders and medications we don't usually deal with. We usually deal with OB patients and their babies. But, we had this one patient that was fairly critical and required a lot of our attention all day.
There was a medication ordered for routine administration at one point during the day. I asked my preceptor what she thought about giving it considering the patient's current condition. My preceptor thought about it a second, then said, "Yeah, let's give it."
I went into the medication room. I was uncomfortable as I put my pen to the MAR. This was MY name I was signing to this action. This is MY license. So, I put the vial down and opened the drug handbook. At the very end of the section about this medication there was a statement saying this medication was not indicated for patients showing a specific condition: the exact condition my patient was showing!!
I am thankful I honored my feelings. I knew I felt uncomfortable, but could have just ignored that feeling or pushed it aside and given the medication because my preceptor told me to. But, I didn't. I honored my feelings.
Everyone CAN and WILL make mistakes. But, make the mistake yourself. Don't take on other people's mistakes. You will have enough on your own to worry about.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)
