Life is fragile...

So we finally had our first clinical day last week, due to the snow we had already had one cancelled. We are on the maternity unit where it is much different from your med-surg floor.

"So this one is interesting." My primary nurse says.

She goes on to tell me that my patient had an allergic reaction to the epidural which caused her to go serverely hypothermic after having a c-section.

"We picked up the baby off her chest and she was literally dripping with sweat. Her tympanic temp was 90 and 93 oral."

She seemed okay when the primary and I went in to see her and the babe.

Throughout the day I:
-Completed my assessment (no sign of infection, edema)
-Found the (firm) fundus. aka the uterus
-Observed the lactation consultant consulting with the patient
-Observed breastfeeding/pumping
-Held the little one for about a half hour while mom was in the shower (she wouldn't let me put her down anyway)

Life is so precious. Mother's can be on the brink of death to bring about life.

I like the maternity unit so far, what we've had of it. It's mostly a happy unit, but sometimes it can be sad... There was a baby that was withdrawing from the mother being on meth. I didn't personally see it, but it just makes me angry that some people don't appreciate the life they are about to bring into the world and the pain they are inflicting. Some people just shouldn't be parents. But who am I to judge.

That's the thing about the maternity unit though. You've got to be ready to face the intensity and the rawness of life.