Monday, September 15, 2008

A another thought on circumcision

Thanks to whoever sent the link to the article in the comments under "Le Circ". Being a nurse means being an advocate for your patient and the article goes into detail of how nurses at a hospital in NM went the full distance trying to educate their patients. In their case, their jobs were endangered due to this effort.

This last week I changed a diaper on a newborn who just had a circ, so this meant I had to take off the Vaseline gauze used and replace it. It broke my heart to have to cause that infant so much pain in doing my job. Being a nurse means that sometimes you have to do things to people that hurt, but it is for their own good. I couldn't even justify it this time.

At some point in class we will be debating on circ's and if they are necessary. I know that I will be on the side of "unnecessary" because to me it is just genital mutilation.


Wednesday, September 10, 2008

A New Dr. Seuss Book

We are studying the different phases of birth. The other day we got to the transition phase and Muriel demonstrated the breathing technique she wants to utilize.

She called it, Three Hoo's and a Hee.

I call it the newest Dr. Seuss Book.

Tuesday, September 9, 2008

Le Circ

No, it's not a fancy restaurant. It's a circumcision. I found out last week that they call circumcisions "circs".

I saw a total of 4 of them in two days. The first day there was only 1 and the doctor used something called a Gomco Clamp, as seen below.

The next day a different MD did the procedure on three babies and she used something called a Mogen Clamp.
If you asked me a week ago what I thought about circumcision, I would have been very casual about it and would have said "What's the big deal?" I have a different opinion about it now. I still think it is up to the parents, but I don't think it is something I would choose for my child.

Why do I say that? Because of the look on my face while I watched it being done. My jaw was down to my knees and my eyes were wide open. My instructor just about peed herself and said she wished she had a camera. I'm not surprised, since that's normally how I look in the OR, but people can't see it because of the mask.

Just so you think it isn't completely barbaric, they numb the baby with lidocaine. Plus, to keep the kid distracted they use a concentrated sugar water called "Tootsweet" which is put on a finger and given to the child like a pacifier. Everyone in my group, except me, was scrambling to give the sugar water. I was thrilled because I got to put on sterile gloves and prep the instruments for each procedure. Naturally, that was the highlight of my week.

Monday, September 8, 2008

One week of clinical down

I survived the first week of clinical in the newborn nursery. I'm so completely out of my element it is funny sometimes.

I haven't changed a diaper in over 10 years, so I had to be talked through it again. It's funny, I can put a diaper on a 190 lb man, but a 7 lb baby seems more complex.

I am also the world's worst swaddler. One good sneeze and the kid would be exposed to the world. My instructor said something to the effect of, "Well, just wrap him like a burrito. You know how to do that don't you?" I looked straight at her and stated, "My husband makes the burritos because I can't wrap them." She just smiled, shook her head and walked away.