The main feeling I had while I was there was hope for these babies to be with their families and the desire to nurture them . It saddened me that most of these infants were going to have to live on this unit for weeks , maybe even months before being able to sleep in the crib that their parents had been anticipating for them to sleep on since before they were born . I felt like it was my duty to spend time with those babies , comfort them when they were crying and continuously monitor their vital signs while their parents made their way to visit them .
It was impacting to see such small babies with so many issues and complications . My nurse and I were assigned two patients with different abnormalities and gestational ages . As soon as one would cry I would jump up out of my chair to comfort them . When their parents came in to the unit I felt so excited that the babies were going to be able to experience their maternal / paternal warmth and love that every baby deserves to feel . My nurse and I were eager and excited to tell them how good their babies were doing to relieve the parents of some of the stress and worry they were experiencing . I could not imagine anticipating a baby for nine months or more and then having to go home without them . It must have been challenging for the parents to rely their trust on the nurse and health care team , but it motivated me to go above and beyond to ensure that their babies were safe and comforted .
Post-partum was my last rotation in obstetrics and it was definitely one I will cherish forever . I have a passion for woman ’ s health and child bearing families . It was touching to be able to care for a mother who had just endured one of the most painful and challenging moments that a woman may have to endure in their life time , bringing a baby onto this earth . I found my-self excited to serve the mothers that were assigned to us . I assessed her lochia for excessive bleeding , epidural site for edema and redness , and her fundus for firmness and alignment . These are all things that could potentially cause major complications for mothers who are post-partum .
My instructor and I were also able to help a baby latch on to the breast for feeding after we came to find out that she had been trying all night with little success . The mother could not stop expressing her gratitude for our attention to detail and dedication and it was so refreshing to notice the difference that not only nurses , but students could have on their patients . The post-partum was especially touching for me because I was not only able to care for the mother , but also their new born baby by their bedside . A child is a gift and it is an honor that a mother would trust me to care for her and her new born child in such a vulnerable and overwhelming stage . I have a high regard for post-partum / obstetric nurses as well as child bearing mothers and families .
Although nursing school has been one of the most challenging things that I have had to endure in my lifetime , it has been by far the most rewarding . I love that I am able to share such memorable and vulnerable moments with the patients I come across . My skill and knowledge is quite limited as a 6th semester student , but my passion and drive are there , and I believe that is what has granted me to have such amazing clinical experiences . I can ’ t wait to share these moments with patients every single day that I step foot in a hospital . It is an honor to one day be able to call myself a registered nurse and to currently be a nursing student . n
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