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December 2015 Moms
merbear32
member
dreadful evening at L&D
merbear32
member
I was sent to L&D due to swelling. I was told I needed my blood pressure evaluated. It was my 4th visit to L&D but it was so dreadful. It took 6 hours. I go to a premier teaching hospital who pride themselves on being progressive; however, tonight experience made me feel like I was at a low tier hospital in the 1950s . It took 3 people 5 sticks to get the blood work done. A male resident informed me I needed a cervical exam. I stated I was only comfortable with a female doing an internal exam he said that was fine but I might have to wait a long time. While waiting I consented, to him doing an ultrasound. Without asking my consent he invited a male student to join. I was uncomfortable but I already felt like I was being an inconvenience by objecting to the the internal exam so I didn't object. He then proceed to allow the medical student to take an active role. I stated I was hungry and they stated I could eat and they would look into food but never returned. A Dr came in (it turned out she was a first year resident). I had a cervical exam a month ago while I had an infection. It was unpleasant but did not prepare me for what this lady did. It hurt so badly I felt ill and cried. I told her i had enough but she continued. Afterwards I stood up, there was blood on my legs and on the bed. I requested another dr be gotten to evaluate the situation. I was assured it was normal. There was even a clot on the pad. I was told I could leave but have to come back Sunday. I'm now terrified to give birth here.
Re: dreadful evening at L&D
I'm really sorry you had to go through that. That is scary to say the least and stress you definitely do not need right now. I hope you don't have to go through that again. On your birth plan I would make it clear you do not want anyone else in the room except for the board-certified OB/GYN who will be delivering your baby, your own OB/GYN if it isn't a group practice, and board-certified RN's who are not interns or getting hours to work towards their RN license. You have that right, make sure it is in writing, that your support person is aware of your wishes and is vocal about your wishes being honored. Your support person would be a great advocate for that on your delivery date. My hospital is NOT a teaching hospital and I still included this in my birth plan (I worked in a level I trauma ER for 5 years and learned from those years that I would never consent to anyone but a board-certified ER physician taking my care and have even kicked out scribes and residents when I've had to go to an ER myself).
Hang in there mama...you're almost there and try not to focus on this bad experience. I hope for you that things get easier and this was just an isolated incident.
Please don't think all interns/residents are bad though! These are our future doctors and nurses we are talking about here so feedback (negative and positive) will only do good! No invasive procedures from now on sounds like a good idea
I would also file a complaint at the hospital about being told you would have to wait for a female doctor, only because it sounds like instead of just informing you that it might take a little bit to have a female become available that he was trying to use it as a tactic to allow him to check you. This is also not ok.
As pp have mentioned, it is well within your rights to say you do not want students anywhere near you while you labor. It is also within your rights when you go back next Sunday to say the same thing. You might get attitude or flak - but stay strong and say "no" if that is what you want. Your body, your choice. I delivered at a teaching hospital my last baby and will be reliving at the same hospital this time around and I had to be firm last time about the same issue. This time I've had a few runs to L&D already and at one point there was a line of four students to check my cervix. They got kind of grumpy when I told them there was no way in hell I was allowing four different people to check me (one said "You're already having a swab and internal exam and ultrasound done, so not sure why this is a problem for us to check you." Oh yeah? That's like saying, "You've already just had sex with your husband, so not sure why we can't just drive this train on you.")
Bottom line is, students being grumpy because you didn't allow access to your body for them to learn on doesn't matter - what matters is your comfort, your health and your consent. I am so very sorry you had a bad experience and hope that you do not have to go through that again.
Just curious as to why you would have to pay out of pocket for a visit in which you left against medical advice? I have never heard of that so I'm genuinely curious.
That's actually true. If you leave AMA insurance doesn't have to pay for the visit. That's a pretty penny to have to cough up.
I guess I misunderstood the tone of the original post. She made it sound like all around she was treated poorly and had a lack of consent all around for things (such as inviting another student into the room and being ignored when she asked a doctor to stop during a cervical exam). Some doctors and some hospitals do use scare tactics and say things will get slowed down or you'll have a very long wait if the patients decline exams or say they would prefer a female or just request another doctor altogether.
If she felt it was a tactic to get her consent, she should file a complaint. That is all I meant by my response.
Smack your head all you want. I'm not a frothy "all doctors are bad, report everything" nut bag but I am for changing the mindset that just because a doctor did something doesn't make it right. There are a very large (and growing) number of women who experience emotional and physical trauma at the hands of "well meaning" doctors in this country during labor and delivery. That isn't going to change unless people start speaking up about their experiences.
I'm not looking for a fight, honestly. Chalk it up to hormones and having been in a position where I felt as helpless and violated as OP. Just trying to let her know she has rights and shouldn't be afraid to speak up if those rights were violated - intentionally or unintentionally.
If she feels that he was just informing her of a wait because the female attending was busy that night then of course it would be silly and rash to file a complaint.
Your entitled to control your experiences however you see fit. But I for one am very anti bashing residents and med students and skewing the perception of them based on a sole experience and a limited working knowledge of hospital function.
On the AMA guidelines I looked this up a while back and it's a common misconception that even I once held. You do not have to pay out of pocket for a hospitalization if you leave ama. However if you plan on going in and refusing all procedures and tying the staff hands behind their back I don't really see the point of going in. High blood pressure as we have see. Throughout the last several months with a lot of moms delivering very early due to, is not a joke and not something to take lightly and can be something exceptionally dangerous and these professionals aren't checking you because they have nothing better to do and they just want to feel up a cervix. They are following their institution protocol to ensure your safety and the babies safety.
Sure, you can of course bleep after an internal exam. But OP experienced enough pain to ask the doctor to stop, and they didn't, and then she bled and saw a clot. That would be worrisome to anyone in that situation, even knowing that bleeding after an exam is perfectly normal. I'm sure the doctor didn't man handle her cervix in an attempt to make her bleed and make her be in pain, but they did violate her rights once she rescinded consent and asked them to stop but continued anyways.
Yes residents and interns need to learn but the patient always comes first! I am so sorry for your experience and I know at my hospital, especially L&D, many woman request attendings only and life goes on. Don't feel badly about putting your foot down. I also agree with PP about writing a formal complaint and getting ethics or patient advocate involved, especially since you will obviously be needing to go back for further care. Patient advocate is my vote! Hugs and good luck!
Married DH: 2013
DD: Dec 2015
BFP 8/14/17 --> Due 4/27/2018
How do we achieve high quality doctors for the future if we don't allow students to learn? Where is the next generation supposed to come from?
Also, the fact that you were only there for six hours indicates that they were actually quite efficient. If you didn't like being there for six hours, you definitely would not like being in the hospital in Boston. Or New York. A regular ER visit in Manhattan can last easily 36+ hours.