Molly Finucan -Hospital

Okay, so I am working at Hillcrest in the OB GYN Dept. I am following around a nurse for most of the day but I also get to spend time with the doctors as well. The first week of project I did a lot of baby holding, diaper changing, and baby dressing. The floor I work on is always really busy and there are always a ton of babies coming in and out of the nursery area. Another thing I get to do is go around to different rooms to check on the moms and make sure they are comfortable and clean. Every few hows nurses have to go in and empty thier catheters. (gross) We also change sheets, deliver formula, and help the moms get up and walk around. I've also gotten to watch a lot of circumcisions. It's really hard to watch because the babies cry so hard and they look like they are in so much pain, but it is over pretty quickly. The babies also get hepatitis shots. They get those in thier thigh so I got to hold some of them while they got the shot to prevent them from fussing and kicking around. Earlier this week I got to watch a sea section. It was a lot different than I expected. I though they just took the baby out with no problem, but they still have to kind of yank it out. They used this suction cup thing and attatched it to the baby's head to pull it out. It was really bloody and gutsy but it was really exciting. Once they took the baby out they hand it off to the nurses to be washed and checked. The nurses check its heartbeak and blood pressure. Then they clean in off and give it to the parents to hold. I saw that even after the baby is out, there is still a lot to do inside the mom. They clean out all the blood and make sure she is all sewn up inside before the close up her stomach. They nurse's job was then the count all of the operating utensils and make sure that none were left inside the mother. Once everything is accounted for, the mother is ready to be closed. Then she is wheeled off to another room where she is stablized and given her child. The hospital is really exciting and I am really ejoying project so far. :)