not hold the baby in much longer . After telling the nurse what the patient said , my nurse and other nurses explained to me that she called her doctor , but he had not returned her calls yet and that she needed to try and wait . I went back into the patient ’ s room , and she told me she could not wait any longer . My nurse , being the advocate for our patient , called the hospitalist to come and deliver the baby . If the nurse had just ignored the mother when she said that she was ready to deliver , then there might not have been a doctor in the room with the mother when she gave birth . My nurse was following up with the provider for our patient ’ s every move and making sure that she was not feeling unheard .
A nurse ’ s care must be family-centered as part of their everyday practice . The father of the baby on the labor and delivery unit was there for the mother every step of the way throughout her labor and birth process . He was by her side holding her hand through all the contractions and pushing . Any time the mother needed help , he was there to get her the supplies she needed . He left the room for 30 minutes to run to the store to get her the food she wanted . He came out to the nurse ’ s station multiple times to inform us of any needs that his wife had that was out of his control . When it came time to push , he was at the head of the bed with her holding her hand and encouraging her to push their baby girl out into the world . He was so happy for her when their baby was born . He was very involved in listening to what the doctor and nurses had to say about the mother ’ s postpartum care and the newborn care .
All in all , nurses are one of the most vital components of the healthcare system and play an integral part in making sure everyone has the best experience in the hospital as possible . Whether it ’ s the patient themselves or the family , the nurse is there to support and provide resources for them .
As a nursing student , getting clinical experience is one of the most important ways to learn what really happens in the field . Every single clinical experience I have had throughout my two years in nursing school has shaped me into the nurse I want to be and showed me what nursing is about . Nursing is about being there for your patient and helping them get better in their most vulnerable times . n
Melanie A . Fradella , BSN , RN , graduated from Louisiana State University School of Nursing , New Orleans , LA .
44 NSNA IMPRINT • SEPTEMBER / OCTOBER 2022 • www . nsna . org