The Birth of My Daughter
The moment to give birth to my daughter Anais came very quickly. My doctor, a young male wearing blue scrubs wheeled me to the delivery room with the assistance of a female nurse wearing green scrubs, and my husband, which was also wearing scrubs.
The hospital delivery room felt very cold and very sterile. The walls were painted white with gray tile covering one half of the walls, and there was a smell of soap in the air.
The delivery room was equipped with a gurney covered with white starchy linen, a large stainless steel lamp with a microscope sticking out of one side stood next to the gurney, a baby incubator that look like a large clear plastic rectangular box with two round holes on one side, and a table covered with very neatly placed stainless steel surgical instruments.
In the delivery room, were four people, a male anesthesiologist and three female nurses wearing green scrubs, facemasks, and gloves. The anesthesiologist was seated next to the head of the gurney with an air tank and IV, in the event I had to undergo a cesarean due to having developed gestational diabetes during my pregnancy.
One of the major problems a woman with gestational diabetes faces is a condition the baby may develop called "macrosomia." Macrosomia means "large body" and refers to a baby that is considerably larger than normal. All of the nutrients the fetus receives come directly from the mother's blood. If the mother’s blood has too much glucose (simple sugar), the pancreas of the fetus senses the high glucose levels and produces more insulin (a hormone regulating the glucose level in blood) in an attempt to use the glucose. The fetus converts the extra glucose to fat. Occasionally, the baby grows too large to be delivered through the vagina and a cesarean delivery becomes necessary.
On the other side of the gurney stood one of the nurses checking the baby incubator, while the other two were standing next to the table with the surgical instruments.
Immediately upon entering the delivery room, two of the nurses transferred me to the gurney in the delivery room, where the doctor checked me and said I had a ways to go but that I had already dilated to 7 centimeters (the amount the cervix has opened in preparation for childbirth).
The High Risk Obstetrical Unit is located on the fifth floor of the S hospital. This is a state of the art facility that provides care for women who have pregnancy complications and require impatient care. Upon entering Miss Z’s dimly lit semi-private suit I feel the mixture of different odours such as blood, urine, and food. It is a small medical unit consisted of multifunctional bed, cherry-coloured dresser, white leather chair, and bed side table. The central place in this suit is devoted to a big medical monitor that is attached to the wall.
Neonatal nursing is a field of nursing designed especially for both newborns and infants up to 28 days old. The term neonatal comes from neo, "new", and natal, "pertaining to birth or origin”. Neonatal nurses are a vital part of the neonatal care team. These are trained professionals who concentrate on ensuring that the newborn infants under their care are able to survive whatever potential life threatening event they encounter. They treat infants that are born with a variety of life threatening issues that include instances of prematurity, congenital birth defects, surgery related problems, cardiac malformations, severe burns, or acute infection. Neonatal care in hospitals was always done by the nursing staff but it did not officially become a specialized medical field until well into 1960s. This was due to the numerous advancements in both medical care training and related technology that allowed for the improved treatment and survival rate of premature babies. According to the March of Dimes, one of every thirteen babies born in the United States annually suffers from low birth weight. This is a leading cause in 65% of infant deaths. Therefore, nurses play a very important role in providing round the clock care for these infants, those born with birth defects or other life threatening illness. In addition, these nurses also tend to healthy babies while their mothers recover from the birthing process. Prior to the advent of this specialized nursing field at risk newborn infants were mostly cared for by obstetricians and midwives who had limited resources to help them survive (Meeks 3).
( Criton, 2014.) Being a labor an delivery nurse(L&D) myself, and modesty being such an important facet within the Jewish Community, it would be safe to say, that cultural competence in Jewish birthing rituals would be a must when laboring a patient of this belief. My goal as a labor nurse, is to skillfully, attentively, and appropriately monitor, observe, and respect my patient and their unborn fetus at all times while under my care. Since the Jewish culture diligently tries to maintain complete modesty as a nurse, I would offer my Jewish labor patients a long sleeve gown and surgical hat to cover their head.
For over two decades the NICU was comprised of large open bays often housing eight to ten babies in a single space. More similar to a barracks instead of a place of such fragile care, the rooms felt cold and antiquated. Long overdue, the NICU was moved to a brand new state-of-the-art facility to continue their award winning care. Dr. Jeff, the NICU medical director, welcomed the move with open arms stating that “this is like Christmas”. The move provides the fragile lives with brand new high tech equipment and privatized rooms, while providing the nurses and staff with a whole new set of responsibilities.
Gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) is an intolerance of glucose documented for the first time during pregnancy. It is usually a short-term type of diabetes and the most common health problem with pregnant women. GBM is caused by the way the hormones in pregnancy affect the mother. GDM accounts for 5-7% of all pregnancies (American Diabetes Association, 2010). During pregnancy the placenta develops and becomes the main bond between the mother and the baby. It is used to make sure the baby has and gets enough nutrients. The placenta makes several hormones which make it hard for insulin to control blood glucose and block the action of the mother’s insulin in her body (American Diabetes Association, 2010). Hormonal changes during the pregnancy causes the body to be less sensitive to insulin. Insulin has the job of opening up the cells so that the glucose can get inside regulating the amount of glucose in the blood while glucose is the amount of sugar in the blood stream. In pregnancy, the body needs to make three times more insulin for control of the blood sugar. GDM is usually found within the second trimester of a pregnancy and increases until the end of the pregnancy. Usually within a few hours of delivery the condition resolves itself (American Diabetes Association, 2010).
Diabetes is a metabolic disease where the body is unable to produce any- or enough- insulin which causes high glucose levels in return. There are 3 different types of diabetes that people are most familiar with. Type 1 diabetes, which is an autoimmune disease where that person would need insulin from the second they’re diagnosed. Type 2 diabetes, which may take months or even years for a person to require insulin. With type 2 diabetes, the affected person is usually older and overweight. The third type that people are most familiar with is Gestational diabetes. GD occurs during pregnancy. Around 28 weeks gestation, the pregnant woman is instructed to go for a one hour glucose test to check for diabetes. Usually after the pregnancy, the diabetes goes away- although there are some cases where it doesn’t.
Gestational diabetes is a form of diabetes that occurs during pregnancy. Although it usually goes away after the baby is born, it does bring health risks for both the mother and baby. When you’re pregnant, pregnancy hormones make it harder for insulin to move glucose from your blood into the cells. If your body can’t produce enough insulin to overcome the effects of insulin resistance, you’ll develop gestational diabetes. (IHC, 2013)
There are two ways a child can come into this world, and that is through vaginal delivery or cesarean section. No matter the method, there are trained professionals there to introduce a newborn into the world. Labor and Delivery nurses are very important to not only the afterbirth of a newborn. They are also responsible for taking care of the mother before.
I'm having trouble coming up with that concise, compelling anecdote about the patient who inspired me to go into Obstetrics and Gynecology, because so many people have helped me realize that this is where I belong.
finally had my child through a cesarean surgery. It was the nurse who held my hand and encouraged
I went to the operating room on March 23, 2016 for the Wilkes Community College Nursing Class of 2017 for observation. Another student and I were assigned to this unit from 7:30am-2:00pm. When we got their we changed into the operating room scrubs, placed a bonnet on our heads and placed booties over our shoes. I got to observe three different surgeries, two laparoscopic shoulder surgeries and one ankle surgery. While cleaning the surgical room for the next surgery, I got to communicate with the nurses and surgical team they explained the flow and equipment that was used in the operating room.
Luckily, I am very comfortable with patients, which made providing care very easy. I was not afraid to go into other patient’s rooms if they rang for help. I would try my best to help the patients; however, if I needed help I was not afraid to ask a fellow student or nurse on the staff. It is very important to be able to talk to patients and work as a team with fellow coworkers as it made the job easier. On the other hand, I need to go over mother and baby assessments to become more familiar with both. I was able to complete the assessments; I now need to do so in a timelier manner while ensuring I do not forget any key areas. Lastly, it is vital that I continue to go over patient teaching prior to clinical. Being comfortable with the patients made the teaching easier, though I need to become more familiar with all the material that needs to be taught.
I sat anxiously in a hospital waiting room eating the colorful candy, Starburst, with my aunt. The wait seemed to drag on for eternity but finally my step-dad came through the doors exclaiming, “he’s here!” Becoming a big sister brought joy to my family, helped me cope with change, and develop a sense of responsibility.
Everyone has milestone days in his/her life that change the direction of his/her life for better or worse. Let me tell you one of my experiences that I will never forget from when I was 12 years old.
Although students were not allowed in the recovery unit, I was able to talk to one of the recovery nurses. I learned that a nurse’s duty of care includes monitoring the patient’s vital signs and level of consciousness, and maintaining airway patency. Assessing pain and the effectiveness of pain management is also necessary. Once patients are transferred to the surgical ward, the goal is to assist in the recovery process, as well as providing referral details and education on care required when the patient returns home (Hamlin, 2010).