Scrubbed in...

Today was a decent day, the last day of Labour and Delivery.

I saw another c-section, and they actually let me scrub in! I helped the scrub nurse make sure that all the equipment was available, and I was THISCLOSE to everything.

Bonus, I even knew the resident, she was on the emergency response team with me back about 5-6 years ago. Today she is a junior resident, but she did almost the whole c-section with the consultant right next to her. It was amazing how much responsibility residents are given so soon after medical school graduation. She did a great job, and the lady probably won't even get a big scar.

I never realized how much yanking and pulling c-sections require so that the baby can come out of the little incision they make. I realize they want to minimize the incision for scarring etc, but wowzers I've never seen skin pulled that much. It didn't tear, and I'm sure it's standard protocol to do what they did, I just was surprised. No wonder the ladies feel so sore afterward!

The baby came out screaming, which is great, and COVERED in vernix. The baby was completely white because of it. Vernix is the slimey white stuff that protects the baby from the amniotic fluid so they don't get all pruney like we do after a bath. Remember, babies live in amniotic fluid for 9 months, they need something to protect their skin.

Scrubbing in was interesting. I've never done that before, and they don't give you a crash course in scrubbing in prior to you having to do it. My instructor just told me to wash for three minutes and did a brief example. Good thing there was directions on the wall. I bet I'm not the only nursing student to need them, either. They have so many medical clerks and nursing students going through to observe that they need the directions. Overall, I think i did well as a scrub nurse assistant. I didn't do much, but I did get to see everything and help out when I could.