Mr. & Mrs. K are a young couple expecting their 2nd child. Mrs. K is 17 weeks pregnant and underwent AFP testing last week that indicated a risk for genetic defects. A follow up amniocentesis confirmed that the fetus she is carrying is positive for trisomy 17, a fatal birth defect. Infants born with trisomy 17 are usually stillborn or die within minutes of birth. Those rare few that survive will live less than 2 years, will require multiple surgeries and often require ventilation and medications to support their cardiovascular and respiratory systems. After discussion with a perinatologist, a neonatologist and their obstetrician, the couple has elected to undergo a 2nd trimester termination of pregnancy rather than continue to term. The obstetrician has offered to perform the procedure at the local hospital, close to the family’s home and support system. You are the unit manager of L&D and have just arrived the morning of the admission to a heated discussion in the conference room. The three nurses scheduled to work with that morning have refused to care for the patient citing religious and personal conflicts. The L&D unit you are in charge of is a closed unit, meaning you cannot pull a nurse from another floor to care for the patient. What is the action you need to take?
ANSWER :
As a unit manager of Labor and Delivery (L&D) unit it is my responsibility to take of the patient. Due to the personal and religious conflicts of the nurses it is difficult to perform effective care to the patient. Keeping in mind the importance of patient condition and on duty difficulties the following actions can be performed -
* Covince the nurses who stayed in the unit at their respective shift to care care of patient
* Develop a good leadership and strong decision making to complete the present task
* Arranging of the current nurses who are on their regular duty without calling from other wards or units
* Manage the total scenario with expertise and communicate with the medical professionals regarding the present situation
* Arranging of all the needed instruments, equipment, consent forms, ready for the surgery
* Assess the condition of patient, report it or take advice from physician, if doctor advice to shift patient to other units or other wards make a effective arrangement in shifting of patient to that particular units with care
* Identifying the need of care to patient and prepare myself as a care provider to the patient needs
* Informing patient family members about the seriousness of situation and provide information to the doctors
* Act as a coordinator in taking care of patient, involving in all the aspects of patient care action to prevent further miscommunications between the hospital environment.
Mr. & Mrs. K are a young couple expecting their 2nd child. Mrs. K is 17...