My OBGYN rotation was at QHC, which was located about 10 minutes from my home. The clearance process was much simpler for this rotation because I had completed my EM rotation at the same hospital. The first day we met with Debbie Bell who helped us get our ID’s and  scrub access. Then we were seated in a conference room where Gloria our preceptor later joined us. She went over our schedules with us, and I was told I had night float that same night. The other students went to their assigned locations and I was brought over to the L&D. Gloria introduced  me to the staff for the evening and explained what was expected from the students on night float.

I was very nervous up until I met one of the senior residents, who showed me how to read the board and follow the tracings on the monitor. She then took me along while she was performed mag checks on patients that were on magnesium. After watching her perform it on one patient, I was asked to perform checks on the rest of the patients for that evening. About one hour into the evening shift the night started to get busy.

First paramedics brought in a patient with eclampsia. I assisted with the blood draw and watched how the rest of the team came together to assess her. I had never thought I would witness an eclampsia case on the first day of my rotation. After attending the eclampsia patient Dr. Fukes, (the attending physician) treated us to a very nice dinner in the resident’s lounge. At this time, we all engaged in conversation and spoke a bit about the cases that were presented that evening. In the middle of our meal one of the patients was ready to deliver so the resident and I excused ourselves and rushed into the patient’s room. It was the first time I was told to scrub in and assist with the delivery. I quickly did as I was told and helped deliver the baby.

About an hour after that delivery there was another patient ready to deliver. This time I went in on my own and scrubbed without being asked. After the baby was delivered, the resident guided me in delivering the placenta and collecting cord blood. After that patient yet one more patient was ready to deliver, and this time I was allowed to clamp and cut the cord, deliver the placenta, and collect the cord blood.

Between deliveries I transported blood work to the lab and blood bank and performed mag checks. We worked till morning without any break, having delivered 5 babies. I have to say it was such an exciting night that I wanted to do it all over again the next shift. From this experience I learned that working in L&D you never know what to expect. Babies come when the are ready to come and you have to be prepared at all times.

That whole week I was a part of 13 delivers and 1 cesarean and according to the staff that is not always the case, I was referred to as the “lucky one”. I was so glad to have been on night float that week since it taught me so much about the care patients receive in L&D.

Over the rest of the weeks, I made friends with many of the staff member and learned how to triage L&D patients, manage preeclampsia/eclampsia patients, deliver babies, deliver placenta/collect cord blood, prep and assist in a c-section, perform Mc Roberts maneuver, perform mag checks, perform bedside ultrasounds, assess the AFI/ biophysical profiles, perform pelvic exams and collect culture, implant a Nexplanon, and much more. I was also able to assist in GYN surgeries, attend many helpful lecture/ ground rounds, and spend time at the clinic as well. Overall this was an experience that I will never forget. I am very grateful to Gloria and the rest of the team at QHC OBGYN for allowing us to have such a great experience and helping us become better future providers.

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