"I am praying so much that I will not have to have a Caesarean," the young woman whispered to me. "Oh I am praying that too," I told her, my heart heavy.
Transfer to a public hospital is never something we like doing. Hands down, they will get better care at Glory Reborn, but when the patient's BP is too high, or her labor has slowed down for two long, protocol gets the better of us.
After nearly half a day of a stalled labor, there was not option but a transfer. Shortly after our shift started at 10 pm, the patient, her sister, her husband, the midwife, me, and the driver, all climbed into the clinic's vehicle and we set out for one of the city hospitals. Instead of going into the front entrance, the driver took us over a bumpy road all the way around the hospital to the rear. As we drove up to the building, the light from the hospital windows illuminated a surprising scene. Remnants of construction; long beams and huge piles of rebar lined the path, and covering it all were dozens and dozens of sleeping people sprawled out or curled up on top and in between. When we stopped at the entrance to get out it seemed we had landed in a refugee camp, there were people everywhere, some sitting, most trying to sleep. Some had literally set up camp and had food and blankets. I realized that these were all the families of the patients inside. The midwife and I took our patient to the door, but we could go no further.
I felt like a betrayer as I stood fuming on the doorstep and let the poor girl go in to fend for herself. She would have to proceed through the rest of her labor without her husband or any family, without anyone to rub her back or hold her hand.
So that was that. I didn't get to see inside, but I was talking to a young nursing graduate today who was describing the inside of this city hospital. He said when he walked in to the room of 30 beds there were 3 women and their babies on each bed. For this patient population of 180, there were 8 nurses. I am too scared to do the math.
Say a prayer for strength for all those incredible nurses who continue on in their jobs, every day giving their best to their patients, despite seemingly impossible situations.
Transfer to a public hospital is never something we like doing. Hands down, they will get better care at Glory Reborn, but when the patient's BP is too high, or her labor has slowed down for two long, protocol gets the better of us.
After nearly half a day of a stalled labor, there was not option but a transfer. Shortly after our shift started at 10 pm, the patient, her sister, her husband, the midwife, me, and the driver, all climbed into the clinic's vehicle and we set out for one of the city hospitals. Instead of going into the front entrance, the driver took us over a bumpy road all the way around the hospital to the rear. As we drove up to the building, the light from the hospital windows illuminated a surprising scene. Remnants of construction; long beams and huge piles of rebar lined the path, and covering it all were dozens and dozens of sleeping people sprawled out or curled up on top and in between. When we stopped at the entrance to get out it seemed we had landed in a refugee camp, there were people everywhere, some sitting, most trying to sleep. Some had literally set up camp and had food and blankets. I realized that these were all the families of the patients inside. The midwife and I took our patient to the door, but we could go no further.
I felt like a betrayer as I stood fuming on the doorstep and let the poor girl go in to fend for herself. She would have to proceed through the rest of her labor without her husband or any family, without anyone to rub her back or hold her hand.
So that was that. I didn't get to see inside, but I was talking to a young nursing graduate today who was describing the inside of this city hospital. He said when he walked in to the room of 30 beds there were 3 women and their babies on each bed. For this patient population of 180, there were 8 nurses. I am too scared to do the math.
Say a prayer for strength for all those incredible nurses who continue on in their jobs, every day giving their best to their patients, despite seemingly impossible situations.
Ugh, I am so grateful for our health care... did you ever hear how this woman ended up doing?
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