swellmomma Posted March 30, 2012 Share Posted March 30, 2012 This is so reassuring to hear from a pediatrician. Some of these stories about nurses have left me completely baffled. If I ever had an issue with a nurse, my OB and the baby's pediatrician absolutely advocated for us and worked together to make things happen in a way that was best for me and my baby. The nurses never had any say over me or the baby without the doctor's consent. Both my OB and the pediatrician had privliges at the hospital and had established great relationships with the staff. They always worked together and I never experienced any disagreement or discord. It scares me to hear about situations where nurses are making decisions and calling shots without a doctor's approval, especially a doctor that has established a relationship with the patient. I mentioned nursezilla upthread. This nurse was a peice of work. It was back when I had my second (though I saw her when I was having my 3rd and made a point of letting everyone know she was to stay away from me). She argued with my OB about what treatment my OB felt we should proceed with (like breaking my water). She told me during a contraction that I was being stupid not wanting some one to touch me(when she tried to rub my leg I kicked her), I went to the hospital 3 times in 2 days because I was in early labour, and in so much pain I could not eat or sleep. THis was a VBAC less than 11 months after my section and high risk. The nurse kept calling my OB and telling her it was a false alarm and then sending me home. THe 4th time I went there the nurse went to do the same but the OB was already there for someone else and saw me, I was at 4.5 cm. It was a hard active labour with meconium staining. MY OB totally went to bat for me. When the nurse tried to complain about me kicking her the OB put a notice on my door that that nurse was not permitted near me. She had done nothing but make my labour miserable. With my 4th Different hospital, different nurse. NOt overly rude or hostile like the above one, but also assumed she had all the answers. My water broke one afternoon, I went it to the hospital and spent a sleepless night in a shared room with 2 other loud women. The next am the dr discharged me on oral antibiotics with instructions to come back the next day for a non-stress test. This was my 3rd preemie, my 3rd born my water broke at 35 weeks but he held on until we induced at 36 weeks. This was 34w5d when mine broke with dd4 but we were hopeful she would hold on like ds. Anway the morning of the nonstress test I woke up at 2 am to the first contraction. and again at 3am, 4 am etc the morning was spent with contractions progressing, getting longer, stronger and closer together. BUT they were primarily in my back. Since I already had a noon appt at the hospital I decided to wait until then. I get to the hospital tell the nurse what is going on. SHe hooks me up to the monitors, records for 20 minutes then calls the Dr while standing next to me. Tells him I think I am in labor but she is seeing nothing and that it is just irritable uterus. He tells her to send me home with instructions to come back for another nonstress test in 48 hours. At that point my contractions were every 5 minutes. Call my dad fromt eh lobby, he takes me home I call my ob. Contractions are now every 3.5-4 minutes apart. OB tells me to go to the hospital she has privledges to. Checks me, I am at 5.5 cm, contractions still every 3.5-4 minutes but not really registering on the strip. The hospital calls an ambulance to transport me back to the hospital that claimed I was just having an irritated uterus. We didn't even make it out of town before I hit transistion and felt the urge to push. I held on screaming trying to hold baby in, while the ambulance ran lights and sirens to the hospital. We never made it, the ambulance pulled over on one of the busiest streets in the city when I started crowning and I pushed dd out in 1 push. My OB was fabulous BUT she did not have privledges at the hospital that has a NICU, the OB on call never bothered to come see me when I was in. THe nurse decided on her own that even though my water has broken almost 48 hours prior, and this was a preemie and my 4th child that she knew better about what my body was doing than I did. It could have had dire consequences. THankfully dd was breathing on her own etc. I onthe other hand had I not been in the ambulance en route to the hospital could have died. THe placenta would not release and I started to hemmorage. It took some good nurses to stop it. I was given a shot of pitocin followed by a shot of morphine while a nurse laid across my stomach forcing the placenta out and my uterus to contract. From the time of my NST at noon until I was holding my daughter was 3 hours and 18 minutes. Yes I had some good nurses but those that decide that they are in charge or that they know better than the parent/mom-to-be really push my buttons and can put entire families at risk for nothing more than their own power trip Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rbsmrter Posted March 31, 2012 Share Posted March 31, 2012 Yes I had some good nurses but those that decide that they are in charge or that they know better than the parent/mom-to-be really push my buttons and can put entire families at risk for nothing more than their own power trip You know things are bad when you have to put a sign on the door to say someone isn't welcome! I can't even imagine! What a horrible situation. Why in the world would that nurse go out of her way to make it so miserable for you?! It really does sound like a power trip, especially since she so rudely question the doctor's opinion in front of you. It makes me so sad that a single person can have such a big effect on what should be a wonderful and exciting time. Nurses really can make or break your delivery experience. It makes me thankful for the great ones. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ktgrok Posted March 31, 2012 Share Posted March 31, 2012 The second reason is for GBS. GBS is a bacteria that many women carry and that cause serious illness in babies. If a Mom is GBS positive then she is typically given antibiotics during delivery which decreases the risk of the baby being infected. If she does not receive antibiotics (or even sometimes if she does) it is still recommended to somehow monitor the baby. Some hospitals/doctors will do blood counts on the baby, some will monitor the baby for 48 hours. The reason of the 48 hours is that the vast majority of GBS illness will present in the first 48 hours so if the baby is still fine at that point, you can be fairly confident that it's ok. (There is also a late onset GBS infection that occurs weeks later but that's a different animal altogether). My guess is that in this case and in other homebirth planned cases that there is less of a chance that the Mom had GBS testing. She certainly did not receive antibiotics before delivery. So I'm guessing that the recommendation to watch for 48 hours came from not knowing the GBS status. The email talks about testing the baby for GBS which can't really be done so doesn't really make sense. The above is the main reason I get tested for GBS. If I transfer to the hospital from home i want proof in my records that I tested negative.0. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bolt. Posted March 31, 2012 Share Posted March 31, 2012 This is not true and is in fact illegal. Some insurances (one in particular around here) and some hospitals (one around here will try to do it) will try and tell you that you have to leave but you do not. You can leave after 24 hours but your insurance must pay for 48. Just to be clear, this is quite true and quite legal in Canada (and since the poster who said this happened to her is studying Canadian history, it seemed likely to me that she was describing a Canadian hospital birth). In my area, a 24 hour stay is normal following an uncomplicated vaginal birth. Of course, that wouldn't be the case if there were any reason for concern. It is even possible to be discharged sooner, if you want to be, if there is no reason for concern. Our 'insurance' is required to pay for as long of a stay as mom or baby needs, based on medical assessment -- ordinarily, if mom *or* baby has needs, both stay. However staying 48 hours "just because" wouldn't happen. They don't have to keep you if you don't need medical care. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swellmomma Posted March 31, 2012 Share Posted March 31, 2012 Just to be clear, this is quite true and quite legal in Canada (and since the poster who said this happened to her is studying Canadian history, it seemed likely to me that she was describing a Canadian hospital birth). In my area, a 24 hour stay is normal following an uncomplicated vaginal birth. Of course, that wouldn't be the case if there were any reason for concern. It is even possible to be discharged sooner, if you want to be, if there is no reason for concern. Our 'insurance' is required to pay for as long of a stay as mom or baby needs, based on medical assessment -- ordinarily, if mom *or* baby has needs, both stay. However staying 48 hours "just because" wouldn't happen. They don't have to keep you if you don't need medical care. :iagree: Exactly. The experience I posted about being discharged after 12 hours surprised me because like I had said I had extensive tearing, she was a vacuum extraction VBAC less than 11 months after my section. She screamed bloody murder from the minute she was born and did not stop. ever. Hmmm, maybe that is why they discharged me early lol Even with my 3rd born, he was prem but healthy. If I have been GBS negative they likely would have sent us home in less than 24 hours, but I was pos so they kept him in for 48 hours for observation. There is no set 48 hour time frame here in Canada which is why all this mention of it was surprising to me. Unless baby or mommy is in need of medical attention they are sent home. A home health nurse comes to your home a day or 2 later to do the PKU test and check for jaundice, check mom's incision(if she sectioned) or lower area if she did not etc. If she finds a concern she will advise mom to take baby and head back to the hospital but generally what is found is mom and baby nestled up together healthy as can be and happy in their own home. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alice Posted April 1, 2012 Share Posted April 1, 2012 Just to be clear, this is quite true and quite legal in Canada (and since the poster who said this happened to her is studying Canadian history, it seemed likely to me that she was describing a Canadian hospital birth). In my area, a 24 hour stay is normal following an uncomplicated vaginal birth. Of course, that wouldn't be the case if there were any reason for concern. It is even possible to be discharged sooner, if you want to be, if there is no reason for concern. Our 'insurance' is required to pay for as long of a stay as mom or baby needs, based on medical assessment -- ordinarily, if mom *or* baby has needs, both stay. However staying 48 hours "just because" wouldn't happen. They don't have to keep you if you don't need medical care. Oops, I missed that it was Canada. Thanks for the correction. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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