Posted by My OB said WHAT?!?.
Jan
8
Posted by My OB said WHAT?!?.
“Not To Worry, We Do This Almost Ten Times A Day!”
“Not to worry, we do this almost ten times a day!” – L&D Nurse to mother in the OR for an unplanned cesarean, when the mother expressed her anxiety about the operation.
There are 18 comments to this post.
That is WAY too many c-sections per day for a hospital! That’s a pretty scary statistic by itself, so I’m not sure why a nurse would think that would be comforting to a Mom!
I once had a GYN tell me “I make it a point to remember that just because I do dozens of VE’s a day doesn’t mean that my patient has a dozen of them done per day.” I LOVE that attitude! It should be extended to this situation as well. Just because YOU do 10 sections a day doesn’t mean this Mom has 10 of them a day!
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Suzanne Reply:
January 9th, 2012 at 3:19 am (Quote)
You can’t say whether that is way too many c-sections per day or way too few because nowhere does it say anything about how big the hospital is or what type of hospital it is. Plus, it’s likely the nurse is using “10 times a day!” as a general statement meaning, “we do this all the time.”
As Jane said, if I needed a c-section you bet I’d want the doctor/team that did the most c-sections.
I think this statement is meant to be comforting and it would be comforting to me. It’s an affirmation that even though the patient is scared, the surgical team is experienced and competent.
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Jennifer Reply:
January 9th, 2012 at 10:45 am (Quote)
Exactly. In a large hospital, especially one that handles lots of high-risk pregnancies, they might do 10 c-sections a day without that being an alarmingly high rate.
If I was having a c-section, I’d want an experienced doctor and OR team, too.
I agree that’s no reason to dismiss the patient’s fears, but I would actually find it comforting that they know what they’re doing.
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Actually, in surgery practice makes perfect. If you’re having surgery, you want the surgeon who’s done that particular operation a hundred times in the past year, not the one who does that operation once a month.
So to me, this would actually be comforting. At least until I thought to myself, “Why the heck are they doing that many unplanned cesareans in that hospital, and what did they do to me to make that happen?”
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Tee Reply:
January 8th, 2012 at 2:48 pm (Quote)
Okay, that’s a good point! You do want an experienced surgeon if you are requiring surgery. I think it’s the “unplanned” part that makes it so bad. Seems like they jump to a section way too quickly here.
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Eileen Reply:
January 8th, 2012 at 2:59 pm (Quote)
This was exactly my thought, I want a surgeon who has done my surgery hundreds or thousands of times! My guess is the nurse meant c-sections at all, not just unplanned ones. Now that is still a high number of c-sections per day IMO, but I agree, if someone said this to me I would find it comforting. Obviously the OP did not find it so, though, and I don’t mean to minimize her experience.
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Eileen Reply:
January 8th, 2012 at 2:59 pm (Quote)
Oops, that was supposed to be a reply to Jane, not Tee, sorry!
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Tee Reply:
January 8th, 2012 at 3:16 pm (Quote)
That’s okay, I’m glad you said that. I hadn’t looked at it from that angle until Jane said something. While I still don’t think I’d find it comforting, I can see why other people might. I’ll be really curious to know if the nurse did indeed mean unplanned c-sections if she meant total number.
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There is one cardinal rule to follow if you want to have a good interpersonal relationship in *any* job where you interact with non-coworkers…it is the very first time *this* person has _fill in the blank_ (asked that question, needed help, had this prosedure, etc etc etc). Even if, by some hapstance, they have done it before.
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Because THAT’S the type of comfort the mother was looking for…
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Jess Reply:
January 9th, 2012 at 7:32 am (Quote)
I was going to comment the same sentiment. The OP might not have had issue with the number of c/s per day or their experience level. If it was an unplanned c/s, then the OP might have had other concerns possibly including but not limited to changing her expectations/acceptance of her birth experience, change in postpartum bonding with her new baby, possible change in breastfeeding needs, change in recovery time/requirements to name just a few. If it were me, the fact that they do c/s all the time would not necessarily be my primary concern when faced with unplanned surgery.
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There is SUCH a better way to say this. How about, “I’m so sorry you’re having surgery; I know it’s stressful. But just so you know, the doctor is very experienced with this procedure. I’ll be with you, and if there is anything we can do to make you more comfortable or at ease, don’t hesitate to ask me questions or for help at any time.”
Or some variant thereof…I have PTSD related to an awful surgery gone wrong, and now, I *require* everyone to talk me through things and explain what is going one before they ever touch me. It is NOT hard for medical staff to do this, and I’ve had good luck with my requests through 2 subsequent surgeries. Sorry, OP==I hope all went as well as possible.
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Add Your Comment.
Generally the higher percentage of C-Sections,the worse your hospital looks to those of us looking for a vaginal birth. Besides, it doesn’t matter about all the moms in the OR before this mom. She’s here right now and needs to know what the staff is going to do to treat HER and her baby with the best care possible. If you’re going for some kind of record you’ve forgotten the purpose for your line of work.
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Claire Reply:
January 8th, 2012 at 3:28 pm Claire(Quote)
It depends at least partly on the area you live in, though, too. In many more rural areas there are local hospitals that don’t have c-section capability, so moms who need one have to go to a higher level hospital some miles away. That hospital’s cesarean rate will be far higher than that of the local hospitals, because it’s doing them for women referred from those hospitals or local doctors. Then there are teaching hospitals . . .
That’s not to say that there aren’t also too many women getting cesareans, but the number without the context may be misleading.
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Details Reply:
January 9th, 2012 at 6:55 am Details(Quote)
Can you name one hospital open today that has a maternity unit but doesn’t do c-sctions? It would be quite irresponsible of them to even open their doors. It would basically be the same thing as a birth center, but without the back-up hospital within a 20 minute drive. I had my first c-section in a relatively small rural/college town hospital. They did c-sections, but under general anesthesia. Trust me mine was not en emergency, but was a time is up, your water has been broken too long and it is nearing 8 pm. I supposed if I had thrown a fit I could have gotten transfered to a major metro for a spinal or epidural c-section, but nobody there was offering or in any hurry to losing the income or admit they could handle it. Now when you want to talk about high risk medical centers getting mom refered to them before labor or women needing non-emergent c-section who babies are clearly in need of high level NICU the minute they are born, then you can talk why this hospital might be higher than that hopsital. But hospitals the do vaginal deliveries, but NO c-sections. That is a myth. It would be an insurance nightmare. They wouldn’t be allowed to keept heir doors open.
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Details Reply:
January 9th, 2012 at 6:56 am Details(Quote)
change that to admit they “coudn’t” handle it
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