3 things you would change if you could

midwifemissy · #1 (**permalink**) 01-Jun-2008, 15:03

If you could change 3 things on your ward or unit to improve things for yourself and or the care you provide for the women what would they be and why?

Dory · #2 (**permalink**) 01-Jun-2008, 15:10

1. Staffing levels - so that we have the time to give the women the care and support they need. This is especially true of the postnatal ward, as on busy shifts the midwives are pulled round to labour ward, and often there is one midwife and a MCA to care for a full ward of women and babies. When you have new post op women and babies in phototherapy or on blood sugars, it's hard to find the time just to be with the women.

2. Equipment - we never have enough of the right equipment, and spend too much time looking for things that should be there or should be working! My main bugbear here is that we have crappy computers with printers that often don't work, whereas there are spanky new ones in offices that are only used for a few hours each day.

3. The Food. How can women have the energy to look after their babies, recover from their labour and birth experiences and breastfeed their children when their evening meal consists of a sandwich and a bowl of watery soup?

midwifemissy · #3 (**permalink**) 01-Jun-2008, 15:17

Thanks for your reply Dory, it is really sad that things like basic equipment is either not available or isn't working when it is needed. Staffing levels are dangerously low sometimes arent't they, and it is so wrong as it is the midwives who have to answer to anything that should go wrong. The food sadly is a standing joke in hospital isn't it? But it should be nutritious and sufficient for the women so that they can regain their energy as you say.

nappysack · #4 (**permalink**) 07-Jun-2008, 16:01

1 My age - i'd like to be 28 again please

2 The building design of our unit - i'd put it on the ground floor with a beautiful garden (with water feature) in a central courtyard reminiscent of a Monk's Cloisters. The sun would shine all day and the stars would twinkle all night and women would birth their babies to the sound of birdsong and laughter.

3 The attitude of the medics that they are responsible for everything that happens in our unit so that they would leave me alone when looking after a low risk woman

indiemidvic · #5 (**permalink**) 10-Jun-2008, 08:18

On our local MLU where I used to work I would change...

1, the size of the rooms...they are teeny weeny!

2, staff - we desperately need more staff...the girls there are at breaking point!!

3, Locality - the entire hospital is in an area that is so inaccessible to women!! After closing many local units, women are having to travel for miles to get there and the bus routes are poop! If the women don't drive and can't afford a cab, they need a whole day to get there by bus!

On the whole though, this trust does do it's best....just the same old money constraints and politics that hold it back a little.

Vicky xxx

flyinglow · #6 (**permalink**) 29-Jun-2008, 10:55

The attitudes of staff who manage to be terrified of normal birth whilst being completely oblivious to how to support it.

Having no appropriate place to "keep" (for lack of a better word) still born babies. Sluice is a disrespectful and disgusting place for such a thing.

The fact that noone ever uses the two physiological birth rooms.

Duel · #7 (**permalink**) 26-Aug-2008, 18:20

Originally Posted by Dory

1. Staffing levels - so that we have the time to give the women the care and support they need. This is especially true of the postnatal ward, as on busy shifts the midwives are pulled round to labour ward, and often there is one midwife and a MCA to care for a full ward of women and babies. When you have new post op women and babies in phototherapy or on blood sugars, it's hard to find the time just to be with the women.

2. Equipment - we never have enough of the right equipment, and spend too much time looking for things that should be there or should be working! My main bugbear here is that we have crappy computers with printers that often don't work, whereas there are spanky new ones in offices that are only used for a few hours each day.

3. The Food. How can women have the energy to look after their babies, recover from their labour and birth experiences and breastfeed their children when their evening meal consists of a sandwich and a bowl of watery soup?

You took the words right out of my mouth! These would be my three things too...
ESPECIALLY EQUIPTMENT!!!!! I've almost had to tell a lady she couldn't have a waterbirth because we didn't have a sonicaid avaliable! grrr (I nicked the one out of day care in the end shhh) And simple little things like tympanics, bp cuffs, stethascopes! Arghhh.. It's nuts! I hate busy shifts when you waste an hour trying to find a piece of equiptment when you should be in your room supporting your woman and family!!

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3 things you would change if you could

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