Cocaine
Admitted a first time mom tonight. Beautiful young lady in active labor accompanied by her mom and sister. We learned from her prenatal records that she had a history of cocaine use but had stated to her physician that she, along with the father of the baby, were "quitting together."
Anticipating a quick progression of her labor, we hurriedly obtained a patent IV, placed her on the monitor, and got her admitted. She had quite a look of panic in her eyes when we told her we needed to draw a blood sample. We became suspicious.
Anticipating a quick progression of her labor, we hurriedly obtained a patent IV, placed her on the monitor, and got her admitted. She had quite a look of panic in her eyes when we told her we needed to draw a blood sample. We became suspicious.
We explained that it was needed by anesthesia in order to place her epidural. She consented.
We asked her to give us a urine sample. She refused, saying she had "just gone." Our suspicions grew stronger.
Once her epidural was placed, we obtained a urine specimen via a straight catheter insertion and the results were as we suspected - positive for cocaine.
I just wanted to ask her - "Was it worth it?" Will it be worth it now that we have to contact Child Protective Services to report the abuse of your unborn child?
Will it be worth it when CPS takes your child away from you?
Will our nursery nurses be strong enough to watch yet another baby withdraw from a drug that it never asked to take?
Labels: cocaine, giving birth
posted by One Voice at
10:33 PM
3 Comments:
So in other words you committed medical battery on your patient by performing a procedure that she already denied?
You lied to her, denied her informed consent and violated her civil rights?
When the baby was born, it would have been very simple to take a blood sample from the baby that would have tested positive for cocaine, CPS would still have been called, and your oath and your integrity would have remained intact, along with your duty to your FIRST patient. But you have shown yourself superior in your own mind by violating someone else.
Someone comes at me with an IV or a request to draw blood, I will freak out. If someone wants to get a urine sample, I'd rather chop my arm off with a spoon - and that's because I FEAR you, not because I do drugs. Never touched them; never will. I am the FIRST person to castigate ANY mommy who does any kind of drug while pregnant, whether it's cocaine or advil.
Shame on you. Your oath means NOTHING. And I'll bet that while you're patting yourself on the back for violating this woman, you're telling your neighbor how to perform a cytotec-induced abortion from home.
Dear Anonymous,
Medical battery? What do you call the COCAINE and admitted drug use that this so called "mom" was inflicting on her unborn child?
Do the rights of the mother supercede the rights of the CHILD?
The nurse simply acted in the best interests of her child - something the mother was incapable of doing!
Why, when the OB knew that she was a cocaine user, did the OB not refer her to a treatment program or follow up on the issue. She is an addict. She needs help and compassion, not judgment and shame and the loss of her child.
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