Labor-Delivery-Recovery: A Case Study

Safety is a small measure that can make a big impact on a patient in the clinical setting. In some cases, it can even cost patients their lives. According to the Online Journal of Issues in Nursing, safety is defined as a tool to minimize risk of harm to patients and providers through both system effectiveness and individual performance (Barnsteiner, 2011). Safety problems can range from the nurse not knowing how to work certain equipment, or the nurse recording values wrong because he or she is distracted. Either way, these safety issues impact the clinical setting in a negative way. In order to have a functional, safe clinical environment, time and money must be spent to keep the hospital in working order and the nurses in the correct mindset.

Within Victoria there are multiple models of maternity care available to women. An initial discussion with the woman’s treating GP during the early stages of her pregnancy is critical in her decision-making about which model of care she will choose and this key discussion is essential in allowing a woman to make the first of many informed decisions throughout her pregnancy. According to a survey conducted by Stevens et al. (2010) only 43% of women felt ‘they were not supported to maintain up-to-date knowledge on models of care, and most reported that model of care referrals were influenced by whether women had private health insurance coverage.’ Many elements of these models of care differ: from location of care, degree of caregiver continuity, rates of intervention and maternal and infant health, outcomes access to medical procedure, and philosophical orientation such as natural or medical (Stevens, Thompson, Kruske, Watson, & Miller, 2014). According to the World Health Organization (1985) and Commonwealth of Australia (2008) there is a recognition that ‘85% of pregnant women are capable of giving birth safely with minimal intervention with the remaining 15% at potential risk of medical complications’ (McIntyre & Francis, 2012).

A labor and delivery nurse is a nurse who cares for woman and newborns during antepartum, intraparetum, postpartum, and neonatal stages of birth. These nurses take vital signs to make sure the mother and her newborn are healthy. Labor and delivery nurses aren’t there for the medicine they are also there to provide support for the mother and the family. I would like to become a labor and delivery nurse because I love helping and taking care of others, especially when it comes to babies, I have always been interested in how the human reproduction systems works, and I love seeing others happy.

I found you post interesting, and as to your question I have not seen, a facility that the nurses [OB] have such a huge responsibility. Labor room or birthing rooms on the unit yes but the other no “…a hospital which contain their own operating rooms, with each primary nurse serving the role of patient advocate, circulating nurse, scrub technician at times, PACU nurse along with being able to provide bedside care for their patients throughout labor”. It reminds me of a very similar situation in a facility where I was night supervisor where the “30 minuet rule for decision to incision” standard often occurred, and with less supporting staff,

Providing the best care to each patient starts with providing the proper amount of staff members to each unit. Looking at the needs of different units not only allows administration to see areas for improvement, but also areas that are being handled correctly. Utilizing the indicators provided by The Joint Commission, 4 East, a pediatric medical/surgical floor, has a high rate of falls and nosocomial pressure ulcers that appears to be related to the increase overtime nurses have been working for that floor (Nightingale, 2010). Research has shown increases in adverse events have been related to nurses working over 40 hours a week (Bae, 2012).

As of 2013, around 353,000 babies were born in one day, according to the United Nations Children’s Fund (Be Fruitful and Multiply). Delivering babies is very difficult and strenuous, luckily labor and delivery nurses are trained to help care for the mother during the process of welcoming her newborn into the world safely. Labor and delivery nurses play a very crucial role in helping the delivery of babies and bringing safety and peace to the mother. I am choosing to pursue a career as a labor and delivery nurse because they get to provide care to babies, they get paid well, and they get to assist in the delivery process.

A labor and delviery nurse has vast knowledge of the process and methods that are required for delivery and bring a new life into the world and is educated with the responsibilities of assiting the new born babies with their medical issues. Considering all the responsibilites needed to take on this career, such as assisting women with complications within the pregnancy, delivering a newborn and managing post birth issuses, the nurse must be professional in his or her work at all times. All people wishing to pursue the career of being a Labor and Delivery Nurse must also have good analytical skills, as part of there job to montior and analyze the mother and child (CollegeAtlas.org).

The author’s experience started by caring for assigned patients in the emergency department (ED), one who was in serious condition and needed to be monitored very closely. Another part of that night’s assignment was to participate as the code team nurse; which responds to emergencies on all floors of the hospital. During the care of the serious patient, Code Blue was announced over the intercom. The care of the serious patient was handed off to a competent peer to be cared for while code team duties were attended to.

Treatment is usually needed for reassurance and some help with household chores and care of the baby. About 20% of women diagnosed with postpartum blues will end up developing more lasting depression. Overall postpartum depression ends up affecting about 10-16% of women.

Smith, L. G., & Gallo, K. (2015). Building a Culture of Patient Safety Through Simulation: An Interprofessional Learning Model. New York: Springer Publishing

Postpartum depression (PPD) is the most common complication of childbirth, affecting 10-15% of postpartum women. (Murray & McKinney, 2014) The American Psychiatric Association (2013) defines “peripartum depression” as a period of depression with onset during pregnancy or within 4 weeks after childbirth that lasts at least 2 weeks. Women of all ages, ethnic groups, educational levels, and social status are affected by PPD. According to Murray & McKinney (2014) there are a number of risk factors that contribute to PPD including: depression during pregnancy or previous PPD (strong predictors), first pregnancy, hormonal fluctuations that follow childbirth, medical problems during pregnancy, personality characteristics, marital dysfunction, anger

To test the intervention, a safety simulation class will be set up to challenge the nurse to problem solve and utilize critical thinking skills. The simulation will have conscious sedation medication, monitoring equipment and teaching tools. During the simulation, the nurse will utilize clinical judgement the what if in a situation, decision making and a thorough assessment. The nurse will be able to ask questions, practice without causing harm and criticism. Feedback that the nurse will collaborate with the interdisciplinary team to focus on improvements, monitor the severity and the high RPN, ensure the risk is at an acceptable level, and a corrective plan is implemented. The organization will conduct a monthly analysis to ensure the plan

Teamwork is huge on the labor and delivery and mother-baby unit at Northbay. It is one of the first things I noticed when I came onto the unit. Everyone works well with each other, and everyone knows each other’s patients. When the Mother and Baby unit is short staffed, the Labor and Delivery unit float to help with tasks or anything else that is needed. There is one place on the floor that I have experience great teamwork and collaboration, even at times of crisis (i.e.. crash cesarean section). With a big interdisciplinary team, the staff needs to effectively communicate to maintain mother and baby safety. During my first cesarean section I was mainly an observer. After the first one, I was able to be part of the team. I helped with the positioning of the patient during the placement of a spinal, inserting foley, securing the patient on the bed, so on and so forth. Most of the doctors are approachable and were eager to answer any and all of my

Professionals: The department is opened twenty-four hours a day and seven days away. The team members of this unit is comprised of an advanced nurse practitioner (ARNP), a nurse manager (NM), four charge nurses (CN), twenty-six registered nurses (RN), ten patient care technicians (PCT) and four unit clerks(UC). Each clinical staff member works in shifts consisting of twelve hours during the day 7a-7p or night 7p-7a. Since the main focus of this unit is monitoring and stabilizing of patient’s conditions within the specific timeframe of twenty-three hours, the staff members are cohesive and deliver team oriented care.

The goal of this literature review is to increase our knowledge about technology use in practice and to identify where there is need for improvement. Information technology seems to be a widely discussed topic these days and most nurses have no clear idea how it can transform the way we do things on an every day basis. We will also look at the impact technology has on nursing, patients, and colleagues. We will then focus on a specific nursing setting, in this case the emergency room. This literature review is organized to grow on each independent section so that you, the reader, can form your own opinion, but take with you the universal understanding of how information technology will lead us down a new and exciting career path.