3 thoughts on “L&D Nurses, I need your input.”

  1. This list looks very thorough. I just want to add that these questions should be asked while the mom is alone in the room. The partner should not be present so the mom can answer honestly about sensitive issues such as past abortions, STD’s, abuse, etc. Many women who are suffering from domestic violence have been missed because the nurse was too timid to ask the partner to leave the room during the patient history.

    To a patient these questions may seem like an annoying pain in the a**, but they are very important. You can not look at a patient or “racial profile” them to guess who may be in trouble or not. Childbirth may be the only time in a woman’s life where they have an opportunity to access help and care. As health care workers we can not let these women slip through the cracks and continue to be abused. Our assessments and interventions may be the only hope they have.

    So please think of these women if you become impatient with us medical professionals and our constant , repetitive questions. There is a reason behind this madness.

  2. That’s a very thorough admission H&P assessment. VERY. Where I work, we’re not that thorough.

    We do:

    Demographics
    Ht/Wt/Allergies/Total weight gain
    Current pregnancy info
    Past pregnancy info
    Current and past medical history (complete) – we do not do a family history (that’s listed in the woman’s prenatal record)
    Domestic violence assessment
    Cultural assessment
    Baby – breast/bottle/pediatrician/ultrasounds/adoption/rooming-in versus non-separation/special requests
    Education assessment
    Complete physical assessment

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