To be able to shadow my mentor it took me about 3-4 months just to get approved by the head of the labor and delivery department. Requirements included having my flu shot done within the last year and having to have been checked for hepatitis B. We also had to clear security due to the fact that all patients' information and records must not leave the hospital. My mom and I submitted my paperwork in mid December and got approved in early March. Luckily, my mentor is in charge of Grad night along with my mom so she was able to constantly remind her adviser to keep looking back on my paper work. Once I got started on my hours, I was able to watch numerous natural births which at first, I didn't think I'd be able to handle. Since I have always been the type to be grossed and freaked out by blood, I was surprised I didn't faint within the first 30 minutes of my first shift watching a delivery! Phew..
When days were slow on the labor and delivery floor, my mentor was able to show me around and demonstrate on me how the different equipment works. As she let me play around with the equipment, she also gave me different tools that are used so I could use them in my presentation. I have almost two garbage bags full so I'm pretty prepared when the time comes to present in front of my class and the panel. My mentor was hoping I'd be able to witness a cesarean but quite frankly, I was pretty positive that I wouldn't be able to make it out the room unless I was in a stretcher! This whole experience also brought me a lot closer to my mentor and her coworkers. Many new relationships with people I never expected were formed. I felt as though I became a part of their little family in the hospital since most of the people I worked with still continue to support me like participating in my school events raising funds to better my last few months in high school.
When days were slow on the labor and delivery floor, my mentor was able to show me around and demonstrate on me how the different equipment works. As she let me play around with the equipment, she also gave me different tools that are used so I could use them in my presentation. I have almost two garbage bags full so I'm pretty prepared when the time comes to present in front of my class and the panel. My mentor was hoping I'd be able to witness a cesarean but quite frankly, I was pretty positive that I wouldn't be able to make it out the room unless I was in a stretcher! This whole experience also brought me a lot closer to my mentor and her coworkers. Many new relationships with people I never expected were formed. I felt as though I became a part of their little family in the hospital since most of the people I worked with still continue to support me like participating in my school events raising funds to better my last few months in high school.
From this Capstone project I gained many different bonds I plan on keeping with the different people I worked with. I also grew as a person and feel as though I matured much more due to the fact that I worked with older, more experience individuals in the workforce. I was able to overcome my fear of witnessing a natural birth. Towards my last few hours spent at the hospital, I noticed that my view of deliveries had changed. The first birth I watched, I was intimidated my everything that was going on and was pretty positive that I was never going to have kids since what I saw wasn't the best sight to see. The last birth I watched however literally made me want to burst into tears. As the patient delivered her baby, I also noticed that she had been crying tears of joy from finally being able to hold her baby in her arms for the first time. This very moment changed my whole mind set and completely made me admire the beauty of deliveries. Might not be the prettiest sight but all the emotions that come after and the creation of a human being is truly amazing and keeps me interested in this career.
The only problem I had faced when shadowing my mentor was my fear of excess amounts of blood and having to deal with seeing needles being stuck in a woman's back to administer an epidural. I'm deathly afraid of needles and up to this day I'm still terrified to receive shots. But watching this over and over got me used to it and made me realize that there is nothing to be afraid about. Also, as any normal high school teen, I was also a little uncomfortable having to see another woman's private parts. But as I was continuously in delivery rooms I became so used to everything and began to admire the little things I never appreciated before.
