Posted by My OB said WHAT?!?.
Jan
5
Posted by My OB said WHAT?!?.
Thoughtful Thursday! “I Am So Sorry. I Know This Isn’t What You Wanted.”
“I’m so sorry. I know this isn’t what you wanted.” – OB to mother who wanted no extra personnel and no men in the delivery room, as 20+ people rushed in to resuscitate her newborn.
There are 23 comments to this post.
Excellent comment!
Yes, hospitals tend to send in many more people than necessary. I understand a team leader, one for the oxygen, one for compressions and even one extra, but I don’t understand more than that. I’m willing to learn, though.
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RT Reply:
January 5th, 2012 at 3:35 pm (Quote)
lets see….atleast 2 RT’s, 2 RNS, a few CNA’s( they are usually the runners), the pharmacist for the floor, the attending DR, the resident, the OB, the code team which is usually 5+ people (usually EMTS), and SOMETIMES a few students to observe ( everyone needs to learn, even in codes) and somehow..with all these people we get things done, stay out of eachothers way, it looks chaotic from the outside but its really very organized and we save lives…=D
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i think because in a situation like that, they just page and anyone nearby is REQUIRED to respond. They can weed out the extras later, but everyone drops and runs to be sure SOMEONE is responding.
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Wow, what an awesome thing to hear! How nice to have a doctor that proved that she listened to this Momma all along.
I’m going to have to agree with Sarah. In a situation like that, they page everyone to ensure that someone will get there. I’m guessing that is what happened here.
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Kate, Ren's mama had this to say,
Jan 5, 2012 @ 2:25 pm (Quote)
I think the problem is that a lot of people think an apology is a sign of weakness or culpability, so they try to never admit that some situation under their control is less than ideal.
More people need to understand that what this OB said is NOT a sign of weakness or an admission of misconduct, but simply a demonstration of compassion and empathy that obviously meant a lot to the mother.
I don’t think any birthing mother expects any guarantees that everything will go 100% perfectly. We just want to be treated with compassion, respect and validation when things go wrong.
Kudos, doctor!
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Laura Reply:
January 5th, 2012 at 3:36 pm (Quote)
Exactly, exactly this. If baby needed to be resuscitated and protocol resulted in a storm of people, that’s not weakness or misconduct – it’s one of those unfortunate things. “I’m sorry” can be an apology for a screw-up, but it can also be heartfelt words of sympathy and compassion from one who bears no fault, when they are feeling for someone who didn’t get what they wanted (for whatever reason, whether someone else’s fault or just bad luck). And sympathy and compassion are a good, wonderful, even (in the “just bad luck” cases) healing thing.
I am grateful for every medical professional who remembers and employs them when they are appropriate.
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I had 14 people in the room at my first VBAC. Some were validly there (OB, my assigned nurse +1 to assist her, NICU team which was there why??? never really got that,no distress,no meconium…) others (anesthesiologist, the rest of the L&D nurses on duty) were there literally because there was nothing better to do and I was the VBAC that wasn’t supposed to happen. Interestingly, 14 years later when I was having a baby that really was in trouble I had a whopping 5 people in the room beside my husband and I. My OB, my L&D nurse, the NNP and two RN’s from NICU. Lucky me, the NICU team was all women. While I don’t mind male OB’s, I am uncomfortable with male pediatricians and male NICU nurses standing around watching me push.
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Karen Reply:
January 6th, 2012 at 8:10 am (Quote)
P.S. Don’t get me wrong, I don’t care who comes to resuscitate my baby,male or female, as long as they come. I’ve just had extraneous males, for no apparent reason, stand around and watch me push, unmedicated,and it is disconcerting to say the least.
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I’m the OP. Sorry to be so late to this, I’m without a computer for now.
Here’s my birth story if you’re interested in the rest: http://whatmollythinks.blogspot.com/2011/05/phoenixs-birth-story.html
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Add Your Comment.
Well, yes, it is a thoughtfull statement, but why the heck are 20+ people required to resuscitate anyone, let alone a newborn? Hope everything went ok anyway!
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Amy Reply:
January 5th, 2012 at 12:11 pm Amy(Quote)
good point, everyone, I suppose better way too many than not enough
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Tami Reply:
January 6th, 2012 at 9:51 am Tami(Quote)
I imagine that when a code is called they dont sit around and deliberate who goes and who stays. In hospital situations often doctors and nurses from other floors fun to help on a code.
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Molly Reply:
January 8th, 2012 at 9:08 pm Molly(Quote)
It was shift change and my son was a full code and was losing a lot of blood. There were people suctioning him, pumping his heart, breathing for him, closing his wound, getting him intubated, and whatever else they did. There were also people standing by the wall ready to help if needed.
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