Has Your Child Been Injured by the Negligence of a Tennessee Labor and Delivery Nurse?

By Thomas Greer | January 25, 2015

There is a common saying in medicine: nurses are the eyes and ears of the doctor. Perhaps in no other field of medicine is nurse communication more important than in labor and delivery. The labor and delivery nurses are charged with the responsibility of carefully monitoring the progress of labor and reporting any serious potential concerns to the doctor. In some cases, the doctors are not even in the hospital during the labor so any delay in reporting to the doctor or reporting misinformation to the doctor can have devastating consequences.

What Type of Information Should the Nurses Report?

In today’s modern world, there are many tools available to the nursing staff. Fetal monitor strips monitor the heart rate pattern of the baby, as well as the contraction pattern of the mother. Nurses must also monitor progress of labor in terms of dilation of the cervix and the passage of the baby down the birth canal. Any potential abnormal findings must be promptly reported. For example:

Fetal Monitor Strips – The fetal monitor strips can show if the baby’s heart rate is in the normal range, which is between 110 and 160 beats per minute. It can also demonstrate temporary deceases in the heart rate, called heart rate deceleration. The shape, pattern, and frequency of the decelerations can generally show whether the baby is receiving enough oxygen. The fetal monitor strip also indicates the contraction pattern of the mother, meaning how intense and frequent the contractions occur.

Vaginal Exams – Vaginal exams are performed by hand. They are used to measure the dilation of the cervix. Generally the mother must be 10 centimeters before a vaginal delivery is possible. Vaginal exams also measure how far down the baby is in the birth canal. This is known as “station.” Nurses also feel for the thickness of the mother’s cervix, which is referred to as “effacement.” Finally, the nurses should assess the baby to make sure the head is engaged in the pelvis and that no other body part, such as a hand, arm, or elbow, is engaged. This can make vaginal delivery impossible and requires a C-section.

Ultrasound – If a problem arises, nurses and doctors can use an ultrasound machine to see the baby in the uterus. This tool can help the healthcare providers to determine the location and condition of the baby in order to make an informed decision about whether to continue the labor.

Tennessee and other states have time limitations on filing birth injury medical malpractice lawsuits. If your child experienced a traumatic birth and suffers from health problems such as seizures, cerebral palsy, or erb’s palsy, contact Bailey & Greer at 901-680-9777.

Posted in Birth Injuries, Library