As L&D RNs we try very hard to get the provider to the hospital in time for delivery of a baby, but not so early that people are standing around watching the minutes passing by thinking about the extra time they could have spent getting those other things on their to do list done. Experience helps us determine for individual pt’s about how much time we have. In this run of shifts I had a mom having her first baby, the provider had said that they felt like she was going to be pushing for “hours” and need a vacuum so we were to call him when she was close. In the mean time we were to let her labor down until she felt the urge to push which is exactly what we did. With one push it was evident that she was quite effective in her efforts, so it wasn’t going to take long. The provider was notified. The ETA was 20 minutes. The provider guaranteed that the pt was not going to deliver before he got there, “it wasn’t his first rodeo.” I hung up the phone and returned to the pt’s room to a bulging perineum and small crown. The emergency light was pushed and with barely time to get gloves on the baby came flying out. No biggie it wasn’t my first rodeo either, but after the cord was clamped and cut the pt had a gush of blood I put gentle tension on the cord to see if the placenta was ready to deliver and the cord completely broke off. I had seen that happen only a time or two with providers. This one was a new one for me, it stressed me out. I am so thankful for providers. In this litigious world we live in it is amazing to me that anyone is willing to take on the responsibility of all this life or death decision making that just falls in their laps.
It turned out fine.
Caleb is having fun at Great Grandma and Great Grandpa’s house I got these picture from him yesterday.
I also got a call from a cute little four year old boy, in the middle of my night sleep, to show me his new toothless dragon and tell me about the big boy shows he wants to watch like the turtles and Sponge Bob Square Pants but he has to be 14 to watch those. It was the longest quality time talk I’ve had with my Cyrus man. He was so darn cute, although I was a little relieved when his daddy discovered he was face timing Aunt Sarah because he convinced hime to let me get some more rest via redirection. I did finally get back to sleep (for some reason I was not sleeping well after 1200) for a short time, Chad came in to get some Ibuprofen for a headache and the girls snuck in behind him and took the opportunity to dog pile on mommy. Chad surprised us girls with a sushi dinner and then I got a surprise four year old mermaid/fish guest appearance when I jumped in the shower to get ready for work.
I am super thankful for my coworkers and central monitoring, it makes it possible to watch the strips of both my labor patients, although I was glad to be getting off shift because they were both on pit and an epidural and delivery were to be in my near future had I needed to stay on an extra hour or two. Now here I sit, in my car ready to head into the house and hug and love on my girls with cake from Ricki for breakfast…yep I so am feeding them cake for breakfast this morning. It’s one of those kind of days. I’m sure their Sunday school teachers will appreciate it.
Owens Endeavors 