November 2023
Caroline
Smith
,
RN
Maternity
Mid Coast Hospital
Brunswick
,
ME
United States
Not only did Caroline undergo all this, but she was able to go between the OR and the nursery where the husband was to update him on what the status was.
Due to her quick thinking and compassion we were able to save two lives in the same day.
If you don't know Caroline, she is orienting to labor and delivery on the Maternity unit and is due to come off in the next 6 weeks or so. She was working with this particular patient who came in with ruptured membranes. She got to know the couple throughout the night, knowing they both had severe anxiety and was able to make the patient more comfortable with an epidural. A few hours after the placement of the epidural, she noted that the patient's heart rate was elevated on the fetal monitor and was above that of even the baby. Caroline went and checked on the patient, noting that the patient was feeling "off." In checking her vital signs, it was evident that something was really wrong with pressures in the 70/80's after previously being stable. Caroline called for help and requested the provider to be present. In that time, we ended up calling a stat c-section due to fetal intolerance. Upon incision, it was very clear that the patient's uterus had ruptured. Decision to incision was 14 minutes, had this not been caught when it was things may have turned out very differently. The baby was born alive and required some resuscitation, for which the father was able to be present and available for the baby while the mom was still undergoing further surgery that was needed. The patient ended up needing 2 units of blood in the OR for which the rapid transfuser was used, and she was able to help get that started.
Not only did Caroline undergo all this, but she was able to go between the OR and the nursery where the husband was to update him on what the status was. She stayed after her time charting everything that happened and, when she left, said goodbye to the parents, expressing her understanding of the difficulty of processing what happened but also sharing in their joy that their baby was with them.
I am proud beyond belief of what she was able to catch and the way she moved about in the organized chaos, following instructions and staying with the patient as a support system while giving information to those entering the room to help. She is sure to be one of the best labor nurses we have.
If you don't know Caroline, she is orienting to labor and delivery on the Maternity unit and is due to come off in the next 6 weeks or so. She was working with this particular patient who came in with ruptured membranes. She got to know the couple throughout the night, knowing they both had severe anxiety and was able to make the patient more comfortable with an epidural. A few hours after the placement of the epidural, she noted that the patient's heart rate was elevated on the fetal monitor and was above that of even the baby. Caroline went and checked on the patient, noting that the patient was feeling "off." In checking her vital signs, it was evident that something was really wrong with pressures in the 70/80's after previously being stable. Caroline called for help and requested the provider to be present. In that time, we ended up calling a stat c-section due to fetal intolerance. Upon incision, it was very clear that the patient's uterus had ruptured. Decision to incision was 14 minutes, had this not been caught when it was things may have turned out very differently. The baby was born alive and required some resuscitation, for which the father was able to be present and available for the baby while the mom was still undergoing further surgery that was needed. The patient ended up needing 2 units of blood in the OR for which the rapid transfuser was used, and she was able to help get that started.
Not only did Caroline undergo all this, but she was able to go between the OR and the nursery where the husband was to update him on what the status was. She stayed after her time charting everything that happened and, when she left, said goodbye to the parents, expressing her understanding of the difficulty of processing what happened but also sharing in their joy that their baby was with them.
I am proud beyond belief of what she was able to catch and the way she moved about in the organized chaos, following instructions and staying with the patient as a support system while giving information to those entering the room to help. She is sure to be one of the best labor nurses we have.