Birthday Nurse

So because of a fetal monitoring class this week that's required (even though we're not getting paid for it...) my schedule got all mixed up. Instead of working Sun/Mon/Tues and then having my long stretch off, I work Sun/Mon, class all day Wed/Thurs, then work Friday night. Then they "had" to switch my schedule next week because someone else had to change nights so I'm working like Tue/Wed/Fri. It makes no sense to me, and I can't say that it's all working out just how I want it, but I'm sure I'll survive somehow. It will be nice only working 2 IAR this week for a change instead of 3!! Looking @ the positive :) I started out the shift tonight with a postpartum mag patient...plus the baby. So even though they still say that I need to orient to M/B, they feel free to assign me a M/B patient before I've been over there. Maybe now they won't feel the need to float me over there since they can just assign me a M/B team over on labor now! Whate...

So after getting sent home @ 0200 on Monday night, I got the dreaded 'you're on call" phone call @ 1745 last night. I was seriously on my way out to my car...bother. So I sat around after having slept all day, kept texting one of the nurses at work who assured me that everything was nice and quiet and under control. So finally about 0115 I sent one more text saying I was going to bed. My phone rang exactly 10 minutes later "we need you!" Ok ...here I come. I loved my patient that I had, she was 30+1 weeks and had just SROM'd . Absolutely nothing was done for her when I got there other than a sterile spec by the laborist to confirm rupture and that she was closed. Ok ...so IV, antibiotics, one dose of beta, tuck her in. She was "cramping" every 5-10 minutes she said but didn't say they were any more intense than a menstrual cramp. I finally called the doc about 0430 just to let him know that she was still contracting every 5" or so and i...

So I love the nurses that I work with :) One of the other nurses offered to split the shift with me last night so that I could hang out with my little brother and go to California Pizza Kitchen (AMAZING!) and a quick comedy show (actually pretty funny!), then I headed into work at midnight. Even though it was only half a shift, I still wasn't sure it was ever gonna end...I was tired! No babies :( but I did get the "gold star" for the LONGEST rule out labor...she came in at 2000 and I walked her out the door at 0635 this morning! She wanted to be in labor, her doctor wanted her to be in labor, but after 10 hours...still no real cervical change and miraculously a little Nubian let her sleep. So after a little nap, she went home. I got a SROM started and all lined up for day shift and did lots of charting. I was READY to go home at 0700. I felt really bad, we had a 29wk gal come in with PPROM (preterm premature rupture of membranes). Start some steroids and start the clo...

So I worked Thursday , Friday, Saturday nights and was planning on enjoying 2 whole nights off before my next set of three. I slept really well yesterday afternoon, got up about 1730, took the dog for a 6mile run then was doing laundry and just relaxing in front of the TV. I love to watch PBR bull riding, so I was just finishing up round two from the weekend about midnight. I took out my contacts and climbed into bed...ah, sweet sleep! And then my phone rang...seriously?! So into work I went, and left about 9am this morning. It really did get crazy last night, it was a good thing I went in. I thought right at the beginning that they might send me home after my obligated 2 hours, but then the flood gates opened. I took a SROM about 0200 and then I was set for the night, got her blocked, comfy, etc. Meanwhile the madness kept happening . We had a mom walk in with 3 beats of clonus , horrible super reflexive, etc. I swear, we're continuing our PIH special! This was the kind of gir...

So instead of 3 shifts this week...1 works just as well for me (though maybe not as good for my paycheck)! I felt 150% better, and survived the night fine, but it was crazy busy. Moved one recovery, blocked my 1cm prime and got chewed by a doctor for an order the previous nurse wrote wrong. I guess "labor epidural PRN " varies from doctor to doctor. I guess maybe I should have called to verify blocking my girl, but most other doctors would holler for double-checking such a standard order. Oh well, the girl went from 1cm-4cm in an hour after her block, so I felt justified. Then she stayed at 5cm for most of the night, then went to complete and was pushing when I left. I delivered another gal who came in contracting on her own and delivered 3 hrs later. She SROM'd in the middle of her epidural, that was exciting, then pushed great and here was baby! All that after all I was going to do was "put her on the monitor." I should have learned that if you're the 1s...

So the good news about going to night shift is no more alarms going off at 0515 every morning for work :) That makes me happy! It makes me very, very, very sad that I don't get to work with J anymore though. I actually got a little choked up and teary last night when I was writing her a card. J has been the most amazing preceptor/mentor whatever you want to call it, she's been it and more. She was the one who first every taught me anything on the floor about L&D out of nursing school. I worked with her for 3 months last summer as an student intern, did over 50 deliveries with her last summer and I really think that it was because of her that I got the job offer on L&D after graduation. She was the one who encouraged me through the last year of nursing school and even more this summer after I had to re-take my boards. She's done all of my precepting and has taught me everything that I know about L&D nursing. Everything I can do I have her to thank for it, and ev...