Health knowledge made personal
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I am a new NICU nurse and I get that attitude a lot when I chat with my school friends who work in the E.R.
They go on about open chests and saving lives and I have days of diaper changes and feeding problems.
But I also have a 400gram baby getting discharged at 2.400 kilo. And heart defects. And drug babies who grew up with our care and kisses till they are 3 months old to be sent to foster homes and the unknown. And deformed babies who die, or live. And healthy babies who just stop breathing.
I prefer to tell of my days of diaper changes and feeding problems. It may not be as glamorous but its better then the alternative!
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If it is with a visitor, the conversation goes something like this.
Visitor: Do you work on OB? (we wear surgical scrubs and have a security indicator on our badge)
Me: Sure do.
Visitor: Ohhh. I bet you LOOOVEE your job!
Me: You betchya! (Notice I try to keep it short and sweet, hopefully, if I'm lucky, like my ride on the elevator)
Wait for it... here it comes....
Visitor: It must be nice to snuggle and rock babies all day long.
Of course... all I hear is "It must be nice to work in a department that is always roses and sunshine... happiness and daises! You must have the EASIEST job in town!"
Now, if I catch an elevator with another hospital employee (usually a nurse or pt. care tech) the conversation goes a little different.
Staff: You guys busy tonight? (she looks exhausted, probably going out for a "break"... not that I blame her)
Me: Yup. (Note the same short answer technique in anticipation of yielding the rest of the conversation)
Staff: We are drowning. House Supervisor just gave us 5 admissions!
Me: Ouch.
Staff: I could sure use a night of rocking babies. (STING!)
Ahhh... but, they usually don't stop there, depending on how nice they are...
Staff: You OB girls need to learn what REAL nursing is all about!
Whoop! There it iz!
I will never be one who "one ups" another non-OB nurse. I take it well in the moment to maintain some sort of professionalism. OB nurses in my small community hospitals (not microscopic, but small enough) wear many hats. We are all cross trained in post partum care, labor & delivery and Level 2 NICU (that is one step down from a state of the art big city children's hospital). We are not a dime a dozen... as it take MONTHS to get adequate training in for all three of these areas, and then at least two years to develop some sense of confidence (though a healthy sense of fear is never lost). Not to mention, in my experience, I have seen at least half, and sometimes more, new trainees not make it to the first or second year... usually because labor and delivery scares them to death.
Our Birthing Centers combined deliver roughly 100-50 babies a month give or take, and we do not function with residents or doctors in house 24/7. We essentially operate an obstetrical emergency room. We do all vaginal exams, initiate emergency responses, deliver babies when a doctor can't make it in time.... resuscitate newborns who are unresponsive... all in a day's work. Not to mention teach breastfeeding, infant care and safety, pt. advocacy, answer call lights... not-so-light housekeeping... you know.
What have I seen? What experiences do I carry? (you might need to consult Dr. Google on some of these if I don't elaborate)
I just listed a few things I've seen over the span of my time in OB. And, yes, most of the time we have great outcomes. Almost all of the time. Wonderful pink, screaming babies. It's what we prefer... but we prepare for those "what ifs."
So... yeah. I DO ROCK BABIES. And, now, when I do... I thank God that I can rock that sweet smelling baby. I think of how much of a blessing it is to rock that baby...