Annalizing

When people get to know me and start asking what I do, I usually get responses like, that sounds so fun! and I bet you just get paid to hold cute babies all day! And it's true I love my job, but let me tell you a story.

In nursing school those OB nurses in Cedar where always the stupid ones who didn't know CPR when they tried to renew their certification, that never had to put in NG tubes, start IV's,   Once I had a patient with HELLP syndrome which stands for Hypertension, Elevated Liver enzymes, and Low Platlets, that can be very serious and life threatning and had to be induced into labor causing her preemies to go to the NICU.  My teacher came around during clinical and asked about our patients and the things we were learning.  I mentioned this HELLP syndrome and she didn't seem to understand, apparently she had never heard of it. (mind you this was probably the only mom with this syndrome that delivered in Southern Utah because usually they fly them to the U) but anyways, I left my semester of OB  in nursing school feeling like, yeah it would be a cool, fun job, and I could just hold cute babies all day, but I would loose my skills as a nurse, would never give antibiotics, put in NG tubes, or catheters, I would never use CPR which is a good thing, probably none of my patients would die, except I could see me feeling empty and unfulfilled not saving lives when I was trained to do exactly that.  I won't lie I did have amazing experiences helping first time mom's through labor, giving a baby bath, and feeling those wonderful emotions of being around someone who had just left the veil minutes before, and I was conflicted.  I didn't like so much being with sick people because sometimes, I didn't know if I had the stomach for changing adult diapers with C-Diff, or patients with nausea, foul smelling wounds infected with MRSA, or breaking my back trying to transfer 500 lb people who for whatever reason are unable to move.

I was so excited to get a job at the U.  The U is the best hospital in the state! Not only to they take care of their employees,  bcut they are so on top of research and always use the most current best practice guidelines which always used to bug me SO bad in school that the hospitals there would not only listen to us, but ignore the research to back it up.  Anyways, It is also the only teaching hospital.  You're probably thinking, oh man, a bunch of residents who don't know what they're doing running loose.  But actually, all that means is that for the most part they are on board with the latest research, are not afraid to ask questions and try something new, and  a lot of them haven't let their cocky side get the best of them.  And, they are in house 24/7 so you don't have to go into a nervous breakdown when you have to call them in the middle of the night. Even the attendings are pretty awesome. The uniforms are kind of boring, but at least we don't have nurses who show up in scooby doo scrubs, which in my opinion and in that of many others, is not professional, nor is it cute. Oh and we are also the only baby friendly hospital in Utah, which means, sorry you won't be getting free formula as advertising.  We don't just hand it out when you get frustrated with breastfeeding.  Mind you we do give it out, but only after you have had the opportunity to make an informed decision.  Breastmilk is the most awesome miracle that is made from your body.  For more info, see here.  Breastfeeding is NOT easy, (no I have never done it personally) and yes, I do believe that babies can still turn out fine without being breastfed (I was only bottle fed), but I can't help getting excited when I study the amazing benefits, anatomy, physiology, and art of breastfeeding.  It's no wonder so many moms opt to bottle feed, or supplement with breastfeeding because from day 1-5 ish is a living nightmare (I hear it gets a million times better after that) and I'm only the nurse, I'm not the one screaming all the time cuz I'm starving and wanting to be on the breast for 3 hours strait, nor am I the mom whose nipples are cracked, bleeding and blistering.  Anyways, our hospital is awesome because we just make sure and tell moms honestly just what to expect, the pro's and con's, the why's and the how's, and empower them to make a choice.  And if their choice is breastfeeding we are determined to do everything possible for them to succeed and love it!  We are all trained, and many of us have special certification and education in lactation.  They are called lactation educators/specialists, and boy are they my best friends when I'm frustrated because baby hasn't latched on all night (and once again I'm only the nurse) they work MIRACLES!  there is no other way to describe it.  Yes, our hospital rocks!


I was hired in the Maternal Newborn unit in October 2011.  I was so amazed with the kind of teamwork that exists on our floor with the other nurses and aides, I always felt like I had someone to ask questions and get help and I never felt bad about it, and that alone has gotten me through a lot of experiences that I'm sure those Cedar OB nurses have never seen in the 20 years of their nursing career (once again, I apologize for my narrow mind set) that I went through in 6 months.  I've had 2 babies stop breathing, reported parents  a couple times to social work for lack of bonding, and shaking their babies, several scary postpartum hemmorhages, preeclampsia, gestational diabetes, etc.  I've seen seizures, respiratory distress, fevers up to 42 deg Celsius, (no I will not convert that for my growing likeness of the metric system and world accepted measuring units that I think we should all adapt to) I've seen substance abusers who are ready to change and was able to help them through that difficult road of quitting, and others not quite ready for that yet.  I've seen blood loss of over 3 liters.  I've given antibiotics on babies and moms, put in catheters, put in NG's in those lucky Moms who have gotten an Ileus after a C section, we even have those sad moms who misscarry at 38 weeks.  If there doesn't happen to be any serious emergencies, I am busy with 8 patients, 4 moms, 4 babies (and lets not forget the Dads)  checking funduses and bleeding every 4 hours, helping with breastfeeding every 3hours, reminding moms to pee every 3 hours, teaching, teaching, teaching, discharging, and admitting, helping them get ready and confident to be moms and dads and not me there to help them when their babies won't stop crying, spitting up, gagging, too sleepy to eat, maintaining their temperature, etc. (some parents forget how often babies cry.  yep, they do, and its normal, every 2 hours, they want to eat.  No they don't need formula, they are getting enough to eat.  It's what they do, and I'm sorry there isn't anything to do but let them eat, and take a quick nap afterwards before it starts all over again).  Only now can I begin to realize that those OB nurses whom I thought I was so much better than, are really heroes.

So yeah, I guess it would be great if I could just hold cute babies all day.  But I don't get to, and honestly, it wouldn't feel right if I did.  I save lives. I make a difference. Yes I do.  Even in Maternal Newborn.

I'm a nurse, and I LOVE it.

HAPPY NURSES WEEK!