Growing up in an underserved environment in Vietnam, I personally experienced how hopeless it was to see my grandmother pass away due to a deficiency in healthcare services. Consequently, I had developed a deep passion to help underprivileged people and a firm desire to make a difference in the world. My interest in medicine was further affirmed by watching a biography of Dr. Catherine Hamlin, “An angel in Ethiopia.” Dr. Hamlin had spent more than five decades providing free reconstructive surgeries to females, who suffered from obstetric fistulas sustained during childbirth. Her heroism and selflessness inspired and made me realize that my passion was to pursue a career in medicine.
Prior to medical school, I chose to avail myself of various medical experiences by shadowing physicians of different specialties in both inpatient and outpatient settings. This had allowed me to understand the complexity of being a physician and I learned the diversity in medicine. To follow my inaugural passion in medicine, I shadowed a gynecological oncologist – Dr. Ndubisi at Southeast Gynecologic
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The bliss of being able to witness the birth of a human life and a mother and father holding their newborn for the first time in delivery room defined obstetrics to me. Childbirth is a broad spectrum of emotions from incomparable joy to the deepest of sorrows. At a high-risk obstetric facility, I had a privilege to participate in the care of complicated pregnancies. I was attracted and gratified to the treatment of patients who presented with clinical and surgical challenges. Later on, I participated in a maternal fetal medicine elective in which I was able to further cultivating my interest in obstetric due to its fundamental goal of providing healthy and safe pregnancy for both mother and
Reflection Paper 1 Timothy Jenkins CEP 215 New Mexico State University Upon viewing “More Business of Being Born” (Epstein, 2011), I learned a lot about the different pros and cons of Vaginal Birth After Cesarean (VBAC). Women are often deprived of the choice of the method of delivery of their children after they’ve previously had a cesarean birth. The cause of this is that there exists medical fright about a rupture of the uterus which often leads to the death of mother and baby (Epstein, 2011). In the mid twentieth century, it became common saying that “once a cesarean, always a cesarean” came about. This saying perpetrated the fear and understanding that women have to go about having another cesarean, depriving them of choice (Epstein, 2011).
Imagine having a job that helps guide mothers during their process of bringing new life into the world. Imagine being one of the reasons a new life was brought into the world. Labor and Delivery nurses are responsible for being a good support system to women experiencing childbirth. L & D nurses help guide mothers through labor before and after the birth of their newborn(s). Due to my fascination in helping mothers bringing new life into the world, I have chosen to attend Germanna Community College and continue my education at the University of Virginia in order to pursue my career as a registered nurse specializing in labor and delivery.
The use of epidurals is so common today that many perinatal professionals are calling the 1990s the age of the epidural epidemic. Believed by many in the medical profession to be safe and effective, the epidural seems now to be regarded as a veritable panacea for dealing with the pain of childbirth. It is true that most women experience pain during the course of labor. This pain can be intense and very real, even for those who have prepared for it. But pain is only one of many possible sensations and experiences that characterize the experience of giving birth. Barbara Katz Rothman, a sociologist who studies birth in America, writes that in the medical management of childbirth, the experience of the mother is viewed by physicians as pain: pain experienced and pain to be avoided.1 Having experienced childbirth ourselves, we have great compassion for women in painful labors. However, we also feel a responsibility to mothers and their babies to explore issues concerning the use of epidural anesthesia in labor issues that are seldom discussed prenatally.
The word family cannot be described or translated by one single universal definition. Different people have different views and meanings as to what a family means to them, but however different all families share similar characteristics. The Oxford Dictionary describes a family as a group consisting of parents and children living together in a household of common descent (2014). However, in today's society, families are evolving and changing in the way that is much different than the traditional nuclear family. As noted by NY Times, in today's society a family can be comprised of a single mother or father, gay/lesbian couple, couples that are unmarried and living together with their children, inter-racial marriages and couples, raising kids from behind bars (incarcerated) and even going from friends to caretakers (Angier, 2013). The term family in today's society is so dynamic, and it is the responsibility of all obstetric nurses to understand the changing family dynamic to be able to assess and determine if the proper care can be given to a newborn based on the education level, psychosocial status, welfare and support of the patient so that the newborn can grow up in an optimal environment with their new family.
Throughout history mankind has come up with some wonderful inventions and innovations, but out of all the creations by far the most beautiful and precious is human birth. I first developed an interest in nursing and in particular midwifery years ago. I believe it is a great service within the health profession because of the privileged position to assist in human childbirth. The word midwife means with woman. Centuries before obstetricians delivered babies, midwifes assisted women in having at home births. But it was only formally established as a profession in the early 1900’s. A nurse-midwife is a registered nurse that specializes in midwifery. The job of midwife is to assist in family planning and birth control advice, provide general gynecological services (such as pap smears and breast exams), aid women in childbirth, and help women by providing prenatal and postpartum care. Nurse-midwives are required to have a Master’s of Science in Nursing (MSN) degree and pass the American College of Nurse Midwifery (ACNM) board examination to obtain certification.
In the world of midwifery, women in particular are the main focus of primary care. In addition, it is about being with the women, in partnership with the women and delivering women centered care. In the perspective of midwives, it is important that women view midwives as the supporters of their journey rather than midwives doing their jobs. (Carolan & Hodnett, 2007). Midwives are the primary providers of maternity care. They have the role and responsibility to deliver continual care throughout a women's naivety and ensures that the women receive optimal care and support. Over the time of pregnancy and beyond, women and midwives have the time to create trust and develop a sense of bonding with one another. Antepartum, intrapartum, and postpartum
I initially considered midwifery when I attended an antenatal scan with my auntie and heard the heartbeat of the unborn baby for the first time. Listening to discussions regarding health concerns and family support highlighted the importance of the midwife and mother relationship. Two years ago I was given the opportunity to be my mum’s birthing partner alongside my dad. I saw how the midwives interacted and were supportive through the birthing and decision making process. It was found that the baby was breach and the safe option was a caesarean section, and with the complications discussed mum was able to make the right decision. I attended pre and postnatal appointments and listened to the midwives offering advice and guidance, develop a birthing plan as well as check and monitor the health and wellbeing of mum. These first hand experiences have given me a deeper understanding of the role of a midwife and how communication and building trusting relationships is key during these emotional and vulnerable times for a woman, and inspired me to become a midwife.
It is important to understand what women commonly experience during pregnancy. With a better understanding of what happens during prenatal development and childbirth, physicians can competently develop the best plan for the mother and baby. I interviewed two women who have been previously pregnant in order to evaluate how the ideas in the book translate into real-life experiences.
Birth is a normal, physiological process, in which a woman’s body naturally prepares to expel the fetus within. It has occurred since the beginning of time. Unfortunately, childbirth has gradually evolved into what it is today - a highly managed whirlwind of unwarranted interventions. Jennifer Block, a journalist with over twelve years experience, has devoted herself to raising awareness regarding the authenticity of the Americanized standard of care in obstetrics, while guiding others to discover the truth behind the medical approach to birth in this country. In her book, Pushed: The Painful Truth About Childbirth and Modern Maternity Care, Jennifer Block brings forth startling truths concerning this country’s management of birth.
...epersonalized. Although not every patient is easy to deal with and doctors are under colossal pressure, by inspiring students with a possible future in the medical field to get involved with type of community service early we can ameliorate the distressing situation. Coming into contact with, speaking to, and intimately understanding these incredible individuals can dramatically alter one’s perspective and ensure treatment with self respect and dignity. I strongly believe in this notion of early involvement. My changed view coupled with my future medical training in college will allow me to be a figure to emulate and hopefully inspire others to follow this path. By embarking on this monumental journey mankind has the opportunity to shape history and enrich the lives of others while personally experiencing the most rewarding of all endeavors: helping someone in need.
The version of childbirth that we’re used to is propagated by television and movies. A woman, huge with child, is rushed to the hospital when her water breaks. She is ushered into a delivery room and her husband hovers helplessly as nurses hook her up to IVs and monitors. The woman writhes in pain and demands relief from the painful contractions. Narcotic drugs are administered through her IV to dull the pain, or an epidural is inserted into the woman’s spine so that she cannot feel anything below her waist. When the baby is ready to be born, the doctor arrives dressed in surgical garb. The husband, nurses and doctor become a cheerleading squad, urging the woman to, “Push!” Moments later, a pink, screaming newborn is lifted up for the world to see. Variations on this theme include the cesarean section, where the woman is wheeled to the operating room where her doctors remove the baby through an incision in her abdomen.
I shadowed a primary care physician (PCP), a cardiologist, and a General surgeon in Little Rock. I was introduced to triaging, monitoring patient diets, and transitioning from diagnosis to treatment. These experiences exposed me to some of the immense responsibilities of doctors. Through my experience shadowing Dr. Richard Jackson, I learned the necessity of compassion in a physician and that it is as important as medical procedures. I observed him putting a colostomy bag on a seven-year-old girl diagnosed with colon cancer. When she recovered from surgery, he noticed she was sad and scared about the colostomy bag. He comforted her by telling stories of many other children who also had colostomy bags at a young age and finished his conversation by making funny faces at her. This made her happy and her smile expressed joy and the beauty of being alive. It taught me that a patient’s emotional health is as important as their physical health, and both factors need to be considered when providing care. This shadowing experience enabled me to see what it is like to be as a practicing physician and further reinforced my desire to be a
Desiring a career in the medical field, I am currently studying to be a Obstetrics and Gynecology Nurse or OB/GYN nurse. OB/GYN nurses specialize in the health care of women. The focus is mainly on helping women through pregnancies, labor, childbirth, and postpartum care; they provide care for women throughout every stage of their life("Obstetrics and Gynecology Nurse (OB GYN)"). The care provided by an OB/GYN nurse is critically important during the fickle months of a pregnancy. The nurse also provides support to the soon-to-be-moms as they may have a wide array of physical and emotional change throughout the duration
This week’s clinical experience has been unlike any other. I went onto the unit knowing that I needed to be more independent and found myself to be both scared and intimidated. However, having the patients I did made my first mother baby clinical an exciting experience. I was able to create connections between what I saw on the unit and the theory we learned in lectures. In addition, I was able to see tricks other nurses on the unit have when providing care, and where others went wrong. Being aware of this enabled me to see the areas of mother baby nursing I understood and areas I need to further research to become a better nurse.
Child Birth can be a beautiful, yet unimaginable experience any mother and family member can encounter. It is a process of emotional and social involvements that make-up a natural human being. The familiarity of childbirth can play an important role in life for every individual, especially the mothers who are in labor or in delivery. Each moment during labor will become memories for the mothers to share with their grown up child in the future. Childbirth is a breath taking experience that can change someone’s life forever. The process of childbirth does not occur in a blink of an eye; in fact, it is more of a procedure that may take a few steps. Some mothers during labor, experience a severe amount of pain that medication can control and some