Thursday, September 2, 2010

A Day on Maternity Floor

Over the past few weeks, its been back to school for me and I've been learning tons, and had some pretty exciting experiences so I thought I would write and share about it. This is my maternity nursing rotation and I've been enjoying it, although not sure if it's my cup of tea just yet. :)

6:08 a.m. in puzzled wonderment I open my eyes and wounder why the sky is so bright at five in the morning....What!6:08 a.m. It can't be! my feet are hitting the floor and I grab my clinical cloths/papers&keys and fly out the door. My worst fear has come true for nursing school!! I've over slept and I was suppose to be at school, like right now! I am pray Lord please get me to school safely and please let the instructor have mercy. I had promptly 7 minutes to get to school! school is 30 minutes away. Lets just say I was too scared to look at my speedometer.
By the time I arrived at the hospital I had so much adrenaline pumping through my body that is didn't didn't wear off till 3 in the afternoon which was actually a benefit, compared to my classmates who were still sleepy eyed, complaining of need for coffee.
Thanks to God I arrived on 3rd floor, maternity ward, ready to go!
The army of white and navy blue uniforms swarm into the nursery to find their tiny little patients. Perfect little figures clasp around mine, I wounder at how amazing to see something so tiny unique and perfectly made by God. I am handed a pair of stethoscopes and have to learn quickly to count really fast! A baby's heart beats 120-160 a minute! Try keeping up with that.
I draw up 0.5 ML of Hep B. vaccination. A little nervous I look at the tiny thigh I am to inject it into. To be honest two thoughts run through my head ,...act like you know what your doing every body is watching...second, this isn't Gent's horse-hide I am giving an IM to. (this summer at camp I had to give a horse an IM injection) Gave the injection no problems although I feel a little guilty as the baby cry's and I hope he'll forgive me.
Next we head to post-pardum floor to meet the baby's mom. My mind has to take a double as I have to remember I am not a med surge floor, where the patients there are over 45 and look pail and feeble. I almost wounder why is this healthy person in the hospital...oh right she just had a baby!
The rest of the morning consist of taking care of mom and doing(A Lot) of teaching. Teaching mom about taking care of her-self and baby. I just learned this info last week, and all of this I've never experienced my-self, makes me feel like a hypocrite. But I ask God just give me the confidence to teach what they need to know.

11:55 hey Katie I hear, come with me your going to surgery with me!I follow on my classmates heals through the labor and delivery doors and wounder what kind of world I just stepped into! Brenda has been in here all morning and she gives me a five minute intro as we walk down the hall. We're going to watch a C-section! she shows me the gowns and mask to put on, as our patient is brought into the OR. Watching the spinal block be put in was pretty fascinating. But when the doctor started cutting I wondered if my stomach was going to stay where it was suppose to. However fascination and the desire to know and learn drew me into to watch. The doctors' skilled hands brought a baby girl to the out side world. Tiny and slimy she let the world know she had arrived by a lusty cry. Her dad creeps over to say hi, touching her toes and watching her wriggle I saw a look of terrified joy on his face. Amazingly excited to see his new daughter yet scared to death to realize she was now his responsibility. The nurse is stamping her feet, and rapping her in warm blankets. She then hands the baby to dad so he can take her over to mom.

Should I tell the the rest of the experiences the blood and well to say it body parts I saw? only read this next part if you want to.
The doctor's hands suddenly disperse back inside the abdomen and emerge with a red muscular organ, I have too look at the baby for a minute or I just might loose my stomach. This is standered procedure I know, the doctors do this, they take the uterus out of the body make sure no remaining parts from birth are left inside and than proceed to stitch it up. At this I have a greater appreciation for skin! how it holds every thing inside and were it's suppose to be. They proceed to put it back in the body and continue to sew, till the last layer of tissue and skin is closed. procedure over, Mom and baby are doing fine.

Holding an infant my arms I study his perfect little face in blissful sleep. what will his life be like I wounder?. Will he find God on his journey through life? will he know the love of God is near him? I send a prayer heaven ward, Lord bless this child of yours. He's your miracle. Be near him through out all his life!

What a privilege it is to be able to watch life come into this world, and what greater value I have for the precious gift of life!

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