Waiting, Waiting, Waiting

The clinic has been slow lately and my last baby was on the 6th! For days I was not even first up to catch so I got a lot of reading done. I have never sat through so many dead shifts. Finally some patients started coming in and for the last two days I was first up to catch. On the 14th I had a labor who came in that we quickly transferred to the hospital for preterm labor. I had helped with several transfers before but this time my supervisor had me fill out the transport papers and talk to the dr. once we were at the hospital. I was so nervous I think the only thing I said to the dr. was that our patient was preterm and her water had already broken. She shook her head in agreement and I got back in the ambulance and headed back to the clinic. Luckily a second labor came in and I labor watched for several hours. At shift change my patient's water broke and my supervisor had me endorse her to the next shift. Five minutes later someone else got to deliver the labor I took care of for so many hours! What a disappointment, I was so close!
 On the 15th I was determined to catch a baby and was just waiting for a fully dilated labor to walk through the door. Nine days without catching a baby is a long time! Your life seems so boring without that excitement. Soon a labor walked in the door but after her I.E. we determined she was only 1cm. We told her the signs of labors and when to come back to the clinic. I went back to reading my book and wondered if I was ever going to catch a baby again. About an hour later another labor walked through the door. I took her initial vitals and found out she had high blood pressure, 140/100. I figured we would transport her but we monitored for awhile. We had her sit up for 10 minutes, took her blood pressure, still high. We had her left side lie for 10 minutes, took her blood pressure, still high. My supervisor had me do an I.E. and we found she was 8 cm! By the way, I actually found the cervix this time because my supervisor did not understand why I couldn't find it and had a student talk me though it instead. Successful I.E. #1!  My supervisor had me start an IV of normal saline to help with my patient's high pulse, 112-120. Soon after that the patient's water broke and she felt the urge to push. I got in position at the end of the bed and soon saw head was visible. When head was out the shoulders were stuck so we had to really pull the baby out. Baby was out at 7:32 pm, apgars of 9 and 9! Another boy! We Incorporated 10 units of pitocin in the IV for bleeding before discontinuing the IV and hour later for possible fluid overload. I finished all of the mother's 5 and 15 minute checks, had her eat, did the newborn exam, gave eye meds and Vit K, and moved mom and baby to postpartum. By that time it was shift change and I endorsed the rest of her postpartum check list to the night shift.

Stats so far:
4 for 4 IVs
6 boys for 6 deliveries
1 for 7 successful I.E.'s

Catch #6 Yohann