I've been a bit busy since my May update! Ohio State is transitioning from quarters to semesters, so the summer term was only 7 weeks, but still full of lots of learning! So a few updates...
First of all, I attended another birth! I agreed to be a back-up for my good doula friend when she went out of town to visit her very sick father. The client wasn't due until almost a week after she was planning on returning and even though it was going to be my very fist week at my clinical site, I agreed to cover her "just in case." I was in the shower getting ready for my first day with a midwife at the clinical site when I got a call from the couple. She had been having contractions for about 2 hours at home, but they said they were already 3-4 minutes apart! So, I said I'd meet her at her house in about 45 minutes and changed from my dress clothes and white coat, to my doula clothes and grabbed my bags. I was about 5 minutes from there house when they called to say she was feeling alot of pressure with 2 minute contractions, so they were heading to the hospital instead. I met them at the door of the hospital and helped momma through some contractions (still in the car) while Dad ran in to grab a nurse and a wheelchair. She quickly got into the wheelchair and after a VERY brief stop in the triage area where they could see her water was already broken with bloody show, they quickly took her to the room. She had a contraction standing up from the wheelchair and the doctor checked her, then we got her up onto the bed and started pushing. Baby girl was born less than 15 minutes after arrival to the hospital! Since I wasn't there for much of the labor, I stayed for nearly 2 hours after the birth assisting with breastfeeding and taking lots of pictures of the new family. Then I was still able to change clothes and made it to my clinical site for the 2nd half of the day. What a way to start off!
In other doula related news, I'm officilally DONA certified! They finally got my packet reviewed and told me it was one of the most complete packages she's reviewed all year and she liked my essay. So, I'm now official and listed on the DONA site. I'm still not sure about taking new clients. I did get a call a few weeks ago for an October birth, but I'm just not sure where school will take me this fall, so I didn't want to commit. I'm hoping maybe I'll get a call for someone due during Christmas Break otherwise, I may try to get some clients at the end of next summer if I don't have a midwife job lined up.
My first NP/CNM clinicals were this summer and were amazing. My AP (antepartum) clinicals were at a neighborhood clinic and I worked with a midwife who has been working for almost 30 years. We saw between 15-25 patients a day and I did a total of 76 hours with her. Most of the patients were prenatal visits, but we did have some annual exam or "problem" visits too. For prenatal visits (I think I did over 100 total) I would measure fundal height, do heart tones, teaching, and for new patients do a clinical breast exam, and pelvic (with PAP if needed). I did 55 pelvic exams on my own this summer, so I feel pretty good with a speculum! I also was able to check dilation on a handful of term ladies, so I'm starting to feel a bit better about that. What I really learned is that I'm going to LOVE being a midwife! I also did 76 hours of Primary care at the Student Health Center on campus. Not quite as exciting, but I still learned alot.
So, now I'm starting school again in a week. This fall will be Intrapartum care and also a big focus on contraception, STI's etc. Catching babies in a month! I can't wait.
Tuesday, August 14, 2012
Monday, May 14, 2012
Update for May 2013
So another month goes by...Just two updates for this month. First of all, I am now a Registered Nurse! I took the NCLEX-RN on 4/19 and found out on 4/20 that my license was issued in the state of Ohio. Woo Hoo! So, I'm not looking at any RN jobs at the moment. They have been pretty clear that once our clinical hours start, we really won't have the time to work. Plus most new nursing jobs require a 12 week orientation or internship in which you need to be available pretty much full time and considering I'll need to be doing about 25 hours a week of clinical time this summer, that doesn't seem feasible.
Classes are going well this quarter. I have a class on Scientific Thought in Nursing that is certainly not difficult, but is torturous due to the papers on critical thinking and "knowing" and required weekly discussion board postings. I also have a Financial Reimbursement class that is a 3 hours a week that doesn't take much time outside of class except for a couple of homework assignments. My third class is Advanced Assessment. I really enjoy it because we have a weekly lab that is just Midwifery and Women's Health students. Each week we get online lectures for a specific system or area of the body, then in lab they adjust the lecture to what we're likely to see with women or pregnancy and then we get a couple hours to practice assessment techniques, take a history, and do some differential diagnosis based on case studies. My favorite so far was our female reproductive week in which we had paid pelvic models available to do speculum and manual pelvic exams and Pap smears on. I was able to do 3 exams that week! While the first time is a bit awkward, by the third one I was finding the cervix like a pro and able to finesse my technique (I hope) to keep my model more comfortable too. Tomorrow is a skills day and we get more pelvic practice and get to learn suturing techniques on pigs feet. Yay! The summer quarter will start in June and I'll be sent out into the world to work on skills in primary care and prenatal care. It's starting to feel real now!
Regarding the doula world. I got an e-mail from DONA the other day just to let me know that they do have my packet, but they have a backlog and it may be a couple of months before I get a response on the certification. Sigh. I'll just wait patiently and hope all is in order.
I'm not actively searching for clients at the moment. My website is still active, but I don't think it's easy to find by random searching. I would be able to take some this summer as I think I can be somewhat flexible during these precepted hours, but as of August, I may not be in Columbus for clinical time, so I'm not sure how that will work. So, if any prospects are reading, just let me know. I have an amazing friend who can be my back-up and if someone wants me after August, I could offer a reduced rate just in case it's not going to be me.
Well, I need to work on some other school work and the kids are napping, so I'll be back next month!
Classes are going well this quarter. I have a class on Scientific Thought in Nursing that is certainly not difficult, but is torturous due to the papers on critical thinking and "knowing" and required weekly discussion board postings. I also have a Financial Reimbursement class that is a 3 hours a week that doesn't take much time outside of class except for a couple of homework assignments. My third class is Advanced Assessment. I really enjoy it because we have a weekly lab that is just Midwifery and Women's Health students. Each week we get online lectures for a specific system or area of the body, then in lab they adjust the lecture to what we're likely to see with women or pregnancy and then we get a couple hours to practice assessment techniques, take a history, and do some differential diagnosis based on case studies. My favorite so far was our female reproductive week in which we had paid pelvic models available to do speculum and manual pelvic exams and Pap smears on. I was able to do 3 exams that week! While the first time is a bit awkward, by the third one I was finding the cervix like a pro and able to finesse my technique (I hope) to keep my model more comfortable too. Tomorrow is a skills day and we get more pelvic practice and get to learn suturing techniques on pigs feet. Yay! The summer quarter will start in June and I'll be sent out into the world to work on skills in primary care and prenatal care. It's starting to feel real now!
Regarding the doula world. I got an e-mail from DONA the other day just to let me know that they do have my packet, but they have a backlog and it may be a couple of months before I get a response on the certification. Sigh. I'll just wait patiently and hope all is in order.
I'm not actively searching for clients at the moment. My website is still active, but I don't think it's easy to find by random searching. I would be able to take some this summer as I think I can be somewhat flexible during these precepted hours, but as of August, I may not be in Columbus for clinical time, so I'm not sure how that will work. So, if any prospects are reading, just let me know. I have an amazing friend who can be my back-up and if someone wants me after August, I could offer a reduced rate just in case it's not going to be me.
Well, I need to work on some other school work and the kids are napping, so I'll be back next month!
Saturday, March 31, 2012
March Update
Quick, let me get an update in for March!
It was a quiet month for Doula stuff. I had a couple of phone call inquiries about doula services, but just seemed to be information gathering and I didn't meet any of the ladies face-to-face. However, both calls were from the flyers and cards I mailed to one of the OB/GYN/CNM practices locally, so it's good to know that they are willing to give out my info! Also, one of my new instructors for Spring quarter is an NP at that practice, so who knows!
I did FINALLY write up my last birth essay and mail all my paperwork into DONA. So, now I wait. It said it could take up to 8 weeks to get a response. Hopefully, I dotted all my i's and crossed my t's and it will get approved and I can start saying I'm certified!
School is going well. I survived Winter quarter and my last set of pre-RN classes. I'm scheduled to take the NCLEX on April 19th, so I should be able to add RN to my resume very soon. I applied for a couple of part-time jobs in L&D or post-partum, but my application was denied pretty quickly. I'm guessing due to the speed of rejection it's because I'm not yet licensed. However, after meeting with our instructor for Advanced Assessment who is also coordinating all of our NP and CNM clinicals for the next year, they stongly encouraged NOT working. So, I think I will focus on learning how to be the best midwife possible and maybe picking up a doula client here and there.
This quarters classes are Scientific Thought in Nursing and Financial Reimbursement which should both be fairly straight forward. My biggie is Advanced Assessment. It's a little overwhelming and scary, but I think will end up being lots of fun and will really lay the foundation for everything else. Look for Week 5 when we get to do Female Reproductive and my first pelvic exam from the foot of the table!
It was a quiet month for Doula stuff. I had a couple of phone call inquiries about doula services, but just seemed to be information gathering and I didn't meet any of the ladies face-to-face. However, both calls were from the flyers and cards I mailed to one of the OB/GYN/CNM practices locally, so it's good to know that they are willing to give out my info! Also, one of my new instructors for Spring quarter is an NP at that practice, so who knows!
I did FINALLY write up my last birth essay and mail all my paperwork into DONA. So, now I wait. It said it could take up to 8 weeks to get a response. Hopefully, I dotted all my i's and crossed my t's and it will get approved and I can start saying I'm certified!
School is going well. I survived Winter quarter and my last set of pre-RN classes. I'm scheduled to take the NCLEX on April 19th, so I should be able to add RN to my resume very soon. I applied for a couple of part-time jobs in L&D or post-partum, but my application was denied pretty quickly. I'm guessing due to the speed of rejection it's because I'm not yet licensed. However, after meeting with our instructor for Advanced Assessment who is also coordinating all of our NP and CNM clinicals for the next year, they stongly encouraged NOT working. So, I think I will focus on learning how to be the best midwife possible and maybe picking up a doula client here and there.
This quarters classes are Scientific Thought in Nursing and Financial Reimbursement which should both be fairly straight forward. My biggie is Advanced Assessment. It's a little overwhelming and scary, but I think will end up being lots of fun and will really lay the foundation for everything else. Look for Week 5 when we get to do Female Reproductive and my first pelvic exam from the foot of the table!
Thursday, February 16, 2012
February 2012 Update
Very short update this month. Nothing has changed! School went nuts! Soooo, every week I keep moving "Finish DONA Certification Paperwork" on my to-do list to the next week. All I really need to do is write up my essay on the last birth, add a few resources to my resource list and scan some documents. I even already paid the application fee! I just literally haven't had enough time. But, this time next month, my finals will be over and when I take a breath, I'll send it in.
A few possible leads. I got a call from someone based on the cards and flyers I sent to some local OB/GYN and CNM practices. She was supposed to call back to set up our meet & greet and didn't yet, but sometimes you get busy, so I'm not ruling it out completely. I also am a "maybe" on a twin birth in July. They haven't decided if they are scheduling a c-section and she won't want to hire me in that case. So, I'm waiting.
I'm learning so much on my high-risk OB clinical placement. I've seen too many moms having babies too early and too many meds and interventions that I don't understand why they are "necessary." I'll be glad to get to the part of my studies when I may be able to do something about that. But for now, I'll learn how to listen to fetal heart tones, do non-stress tests, and interepret tracings.
Ok, back to school work. I promise a better update in March.
A few possible leads. I got a call from someone based on the cards and flyers I sent to some local OB/GYN and CNM practices. She was supposed to call back to set up our meet & greet and didn't yet, but sometimes you get busy, so I'm not ruling it out completely. I also am a "maybe" on a twin birth in July. They haven't decided if they are scheduling a c-section and she won't want to hire me in that case. So, I'm waiting.
I'm learning so much on my high-risk OB clinical placement. I've seen too many moms having babies too early and too many meds and interventions that I don't understand why they are "necessary." I'll be glad to get to the part of my studies when I may be able to do something about that. But for now, I'll learn how to listen to fetal heart tones, do non-stress tests, and interepret tracings.
Ok, back to school work. I promise a better update in March.
Sunday, January 15, 2012
January Update
Happy new year! Another month and another birth! My first booked client ended up being my third birth, but her little girl was born last week. Spontaneous rupture of membranes at home got things started, a planned epidural at the hospital with an unplanned whiff of Pitocin to keep things moving, less than an hour of pushing and she was here! I felt my role at this birth was less physical, but more encouraging and making sure immediate postpartum needs were met. I tried to be a calming presence for a mom who tends to worry and make sure her priorities from her birth plan were upheld (delayed cord-clamping, the first hour skin-to-skin without interruption for weighing, exams, etc., keeping the placenta, and no eye ointment or shots for babe). We haven't had our postpartum meeting yet, but I hope that this momma also felt my presence was worthwhile.
So, no booked clients on the horizon, but they tend to fall into my lap at the right time, so I'm not overly concerned. I just have to finish up my birth essay on the last birth and finalize my paperwork and I'll be ready to send in my certification materials. Hopefully, all is in order and they will review and certify me without additional requests.
My new quarter at school started. It is a busy quarter with 4 classes including Leadership (my final pre-RN course) with a clinical placement in a high-risk antepartum OB unit, Pharmacology (this is the prescribing class for APNs as opposed to the nursing administration course), Advanced Reproductive Dynamics (the physiologic and pathophysiologic basis for the rest of my women's health and midwifery classes), and a Introduction to Complementary and Alternative Medicine class. All classes that I will find extremely valuable, but it's alot to do at once! I've only done one day of orientation on my clincial unit, but I think I will love it and it's great to be around all these pregnant moms. Even if I spend half my time wondering how they could have been managed diffently to not have to be on this unit. For a few days while things were being finalized, I thought I was going to be placed on an L&D floor, but the preceptor fell through, so antepartum it is. Patience. Soon enough I'll be seeing lots of deliveries!
I don't expect much over the next month. School, sleep, repeat. Although I'd love to have some idea on the status of my DONA certification by next month (doubtful).
So, no booked clients on the horizon, but they tend to fall into my lap at the right time, so I'm not overly concerned. I just have to finish up my birth essay on the last birth and finalize my paperwork and I'll be ready to send in my certification materials. Hopefully, all is in order and they will review and certify me without additional requests.
My new quarter at school started. It is a busy quarter with 4 classes including Leadership (my final pre-RN course) with a clinical placement in a high-risk antepartum OB unit, Pharmacology (this is the prescribing class for APNs as opposed to the nursing administration course), Advanced Reproductive Dynamics (the physiologic and pathophysiologic basis for the rest of my women's health and midwifery classes), and a Introduction to Complementary and Alternative Medicine class. All classes that I will find extremely valuable, but it's alot to do at once! I've only done one day of orientation on my clincial unit, but I think I will love it and it's great to be around all these pregnant moms. Even if I spend half my time wondering how they could have been managed diffently to not have to be on this unit. For a few days while things were being finalized, I thought I was going to be placed on an L&D floor, but the preceptor fell through, so antepartum it is. Patience. Soon enough I'll be seeing lots of deliveries!
I don't expect much over the next month. School, sleep, repeat. Although I'd love to have some idea on the status of my DONA certification by next month (doubtful).
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