I too am a nurse, however, my knowledge and experience of maternal child health is limited to what I learned in nursing school almost a decade ago. I came in on a Saturday evening for a scheduled induction and spent the next three days in one of the most uncomfortable states I have ever experienced. Alicia was my nurse on Sunday and was with me for the second round of induction meds and took great care of me. Her extraordinary care came Tuesday when she took over for my nurse that had to see over a labor and birth.
By Tuesday I hadn't progressed with induction. I was stuck in the uncomfortable bed on a monitor. I was tired, in pain, and very emotional. Alicia immediately recognized this. She sat on the bed with me and let me express my feelings and frustrations and my desire to stop the induction process and ask for a C-section. Alicia agreed and explained what I would be at risk for after surgery because of the length of my induction and stopping now and proceeding with surgery would be the safest thing. I began crying and telling her I didn't know I had the option and or right to say what I did and did not want for my induction and when I couldn't take anymore. Alicia comforted me saying "it's your body, this is your birth experience and we are here for you and your baby."
Being your patient's advocate is a huge role in a nurse's day to day job and that's what Alicia was for me. Her sympathy and hard work were also greatly appreciated by my family who could do nothing but sit and watch me suffer and fail to progress. I will always be thankful for her when I think about the birth of my son.