Fire Me If You Must

I have been working in Labor & Delivery for about four years now. On occasion, I have disagreed with a co-worker or two about allowing visitors into our department. In January, we moved in to the new tower, to a much bigger unit with locked doors. Since that time, some of my co-workers have become even stricter about visitation from family and friends. A couple of times, I have felt very uncomfortable over this issue.

Now there is a committee examining this issue. The leader of this committee, Kim, sent out an e-mail asking us to elicit the opinions of our patients and their families on the visitation policy. I took this opportunity to voice my opinion by sending an e-mail to Kim, with copies sent to KR , the director over Women's and Children's Services, and to JS, the Director of Nursing for our hospital. This is the message I sent:

Hi, Kim,

I wanted to provide some feedback with regard to your recent e-mail concerning the visitation policy. I have strong opinions on this topic.

I am a firm believer in Family-Centered Maternity Care. I know some of my co-workers are complaining that I am personally too lax on visitation and I know my practice is part of the "inconsistancies" in visitation, but I believe in allowing loved-ones to be with the laboring mother if she so desires. I cannot, in good conscience, refuse to allow a patient the comfort of her children, her family, or whoever it is that brings her a sense of security and gives her a positive view of her birth experience. I believe it should be the patient's decision who is allowed in the labor room (so long as the situation is safe).


I realize that is is sometimes a pain to work around several people in the room. I realize they are sometimes annoying. But I am willing to put up with that annoyance to create happy memories and promote family togetherness for my patients; as our hospital's own booklet states, "Having a baby is a joyous, family experience." This same booklet also advertises, "Our Labor & Delivery Services are designed to allow each mother to have the kind of birth experience she desires... If you wish, your family can be with you throughout labor, delivery and recovery." If we are not going to provide Family-Centered Maternity Care, why do we advertise that we do so?

With trepidation, I hit the "send" key and sent the message off. My very vocal co-workers who desire to keep family and friends away from our unit are constantly spouting the "visitation policy" which seems to back up their opinion. My thoughts as I sent the e-mail were that I was going against hospital policy and I may very well end up fired. I was also thinking that if we keep this policy and insist that we nurses follow it, I may end up working some place else by choice. I feel so strongly about this that I was willing to lose my job over it and truly thought I may end up doing just that.

Wow! Did I receive the opposite reaction! I was amazed when the following message arrived from JS, Director of Nursing:

Kathy: thank you for your willingness to express your opinion and most importantly having the patient and family centric view that you have. Now lets see if we can get your colleagues to re-examine their position.

A couple of hours later, I received a message from CG, Executive Vice President and Chief Operating Officer of the hospital. I nearly cried when I read:

Kathy, I love your passion about this. I lost my grandfather years ago when I was 15 and was not allowed into ICU to visit and the negative experience has stayed with me to this day. He died on Christmas Eve and it still haunts me how I was treated. It propelled me into nursing and as an advocate for visitors and the family centered care model. I applaud your efforts and hope you can be a champion to assist with changing the culture that seems to have developed in the mother-baby area. JS sent your e-mail on to me as he was so pleased to get such a positive response. Nice Job. Thank you for caring about families and making a difference one patient at a time. They do remember!!!!

I could hardly believe it! Not only was I not fired, but the big-wigs agree with me!!!! Too cool! I haven't heard yet from KR, my immediate director, but maybe when I go to work again there will be something from her. I'm very curious to hear her opinion.

Latisse: Two Months

I've been using Latisse for two months now and here's how it's going. I'm still using the first bottle I bought in January, the bottle that was supposed to last only one month. There's still quite a lot left in it.

My lashes are getting very thick. I can really notice a difference now. They are also longer and slightly darker. They are not very impressive without mascara because they are still pretty blond, but putting on mascara is kind of fun because the lashes just pop out like magic! They are not quite as long yet as the extensions were, but they are thicker.

Speaking of extensions, I figure that the Latisse has now paid for itself, assuming I would have continued getting extensions for the last two months. I would have paid $120 in about eight weeks of extensions, which is what I paid for the first little bottle of Latisse that I'm still using.

I stopped using the brushes that came with the product and bought a tiny eye-liner brush. I put one drop in the lid of the bottle and dip the brush in. I have plenty of product with only one drop to do both eyes, top and bottom, each night. Then I rinse the brush with hot water and clean it with rubbing alcohol, just to be on the safe side.

I have to say, so far I am LOVING Latisse. I am excited to see what my lashes are like in another month.

Las Vegas for Spring Break

Mike, Joey, my parents, and I went to Las Vegas for Spring Break. Here are some pictures of the fun.

Mike and Joey on the shuttle to the strip. Look closely at Joey's fingers. He thinks he's so funny.


These are some fairly new buildings on the strip that look like they're falling down. Inside is the City Center mall, which was funny to us because every store was a designer store, you know, the kind of place where it costs $800 for a purse. I did look in one beautiful store where the clerk tried to sell me a $900 skirt. I was really tempted, but decided to pass.


Mom and I went the The Phantom of the Opera. I LOVE IT!!!!!!! I took this picture of the chandelier before the show started. When the show starts, the pieces of the chandelier move around the room and then finally join together in the middle of the ceiling. This is the only picture I got because after I snapped it, I was tapped on the shoulder by an usher and told picture-taking was not allowed.


Here is Joey in the pool at our resort. I thought it was too cold to swim but he had fun.


This is the roller coaster at New York New York. Me and my boys rode it. It was expensive but darn well worth it.


Mike and Joey always find the shooting games. Here they are at Circus Circus.


I always find the roller coasters. Joey and I rode this one in Circus Circus.



Joey, Mom and Dad walking around Ceasar's Palace.


At the aquarium at Ceasar's Palace. Joey and this fish liked each other.


Joey and I at the aquarium.


Mom and Dad were a little worn out from all the walking. Escalators gave a moment's rest.


Joey on the strip.


We went to Hoover Dam. It was amazing and scary. This is the view on the lower side of the dam.


Mike on top of the dam.


This new bridge is being built over the canyon by Hoover Dam. It is huge.


I was worried about the claustrophobia warning when we were considering touring the inside of the dam. I was a little relieved when we discovered that it cost $30 per person to tour and the group decided to pass.


Here is Joey on top of the dam. His right side is in Nevada and his left side is in Arizona.

A Cute School Assignment by Joey

Joey came home yesterday with a completed assignment from school that I loved. It was a paper he had written and it went like this:

"I'm writing about a wedding. The wedding is important because it's my sister's wedding. You need to be 20 years old to get married. Have a ring for each other. A DJ. Some tables and chars. Some food and people need to come. You need some music. You need a flower gril and a ring bear. A braid and groom, or also called a gril and a boy. You need a marriage lisens. That's all you need to get married."

Rachel Visits

Our granddaughter's parents went on a cruise so Mindy is tending Rachel while they are gone. We are having so much fun with her! She is SO adorable!


Rachel discovered that wrapping paper is a really fun toy.


I think she is absolutely beautiful.



And I'm so glad that she is happy!