I almost got to deliver a baby again. The doctor and nurses allowed me to prep the delivery room using sterile techniques. All the instruments needed for the delivery were pre-wrapped in a sterile cloth and they had me remove and lay out all the tools. The doctor also gave me some tips on how to rest my hands while keeping them sterile. What I was doing was just mimicking what I've seen doctors do on television. You know, keeping my hands away from each other and having my fingers point towards the ceiling. The doctor told me that if I do that, my arms will get tired so I can either:
- Fold my hands. Since the gloves are already sterile, it's alright to clasp them together. This allows mobility while maintaining sterility. It also helps prevent accidental contamination because your hands are in front of you where you can see them easily.
or
- Rest them on a sterile surface. The cloth that has all the instruments on it is sterile, so you can rest your hands there. It rests your hands better because you can put all your weight on the table but you're less mobile.
The mother ended up being referred to a tertiary hospital in the city for several reasons:
1. Age: She was a first time mother and already in her early thirties.
2. Mass/Size: She was only 30kg and about 5'0.
3. Time: The policy here is, once the mother is fully dilated, the baby must be delivered within an hour or the patient needs to be referred. This is done mainly to protect the patient because if there are complications, the hospital here isn't equipped to handle certain types of births (i.e. Cesarean section) unless the surgeon happens to be in (which is only twice a week during the weekends)
Other than that, just more routine today. IVTT (intravenous through tubing) injections, passing out medication, and paperwork.
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