Reflections
My Experience as a Nursing Student By Taylor M . Yuratich
I
have had many great clinical experiences , but my women ’ s health clinical rotation has stood out to me the most . My clinical group consisted of 10 students and our instructor on the labor and delivery unit ( L & D ), neonatal intensive care unit , and mother-baby unit at a hospital in New Orleans . After so many clinical days on the various women ’ s health units , my values and beliefs were challenged . I cared for my patients , I witnessed familycentered care , and I addressed my patients ’ primary concerns .
On the first day of clinical I was sent to the NICU . While in the NICU , I was helping a fellow student take care of one of her patients who was withdrawing off opioids . This was very hard because it was tough seeing what this baby had to go through . This baby was withdrawing because his mother used drugs and alcohol during pregnancy , which challenged my values and beliefs . We kept our judgements to ourselves because at the end of the day the baby ’ s mother was still there and still trying to do her best . The baby was constantly uncomfortable and crying , which led us to believe that he was always in pain . Although it was hard to not judge , my fellow students and myself kept our judgements to ourselves and took care of the baby as best as we could .
Caring in is one of the most important qualities a nurse should withhold in building trust with others . The second half of the clinical day I was sent to L & D to help a patient who was brought in for spontaneous rupture of membranes . The patient was nervous but knew what she had coming because this was her fifth pregnancy . While the patient was getting an epidural , she was very nervous and I asked her if she wanted me to hold her hands . The patient was thankful that I was there to help her . I assisted with keeping her distracted and helping her remain calm while holding her hands and allowing her to squeeze as tight as she wanted . I answered any questions that the patient had and reassured her that I will help her through the whole process . While taking care of the patient , I continuously entered the room asking her if she needed anything to make her comfortable . She was always so happy when I entered the room and thankful for any help that I provided . Patient care is always a priority for nurses and this clinical day was very reflective of the great patient care that nurses and students put forth every day .
Another day on the L & D unit , a patient was being admitted for spontaneous rupture of membranes . While in the room , the nurse and doctor were asking the patient multiple questions . The nurse asked if the patient had a birth plan and if she had anyone coming to support her . The patient was asked whether she would want an epidural , and the patient responded that she wanted to receive one . The patient was then asked whether she would want her baby boy to be circumcised and vaccinated after birth and the mother agreed to both . The nurse also asked if the mother would want to breastfeed or formula feed the newborn , and the patient responded formula feed .
It is very important for the nurse and or doctor to ask these questions because they are very important regarding future care of the newborn . Knowing the answers to these questions allowed the nurse to provide the patient with the best plan of care and education that is necessary . The patient was also asked about any prenatal care she received and her history of asthma to help care for her during the labor and birth process . As I was in the room listening to the nurse question the patient , I realized that all these questions were completely necessary and were asked to prevent complications and provide the patient with the best care .
After asking the patient about her medical history and her birth plan , the doctor and nurse further educated her on the processes of a vaginal birth and any risks that could pertain to the procedure . The anesthesiologist also provided education about the epidural and any risks before the procedure . Education is important in this situation because it reassures the patient and allows the patient to be aware of what is going to happen during her stay at the hospital . After this long process , the patient started experiencing nausea and vomiting , so the nurse and I immediately raised the head of the bed and gave the patient a bag to vomit in . The nurse suggested that the doctor promptly order medication to stop the nausea and vomiting . This all happened so quickly and led me to realize that a patient ’ s status can change so quickly so nurses and doctors need to always be prepared for anything . The nurse and doctor acted so quickly that the patient began feeling better immediately . n
Taylor M . Yuratich is a nursing student at Louisiana State University Health School of Nursing , New Orleans , LA .
39