GRATITUDES AS NIGERIAN NURSE DELIVERS A LIVE BABY PREVIOUSLY MISDIAGNOSED AS “IUFD”

An interesting scenario happened on Sunday 15th of February 2020 at my work place, General hospital ondo state. It was a evening shift. As I got to work to resume duty, I met 2 Labour cases on ground one of which was G4P3 who was referred to the hospital from a TBA on account of Reduced Fetal movement. On Auscultation (FHR -Not heard) confirmed by the nurse on duty and the doctor on call. Later, the doctor then sent her for urgent Obstetric Scan of which result confirmed IUFD.

Patients and relatives were told about the results of the scan, counselled and were educated about the next line of action. Augmentation with 5mls of Oxytocin in 500mls of N/Saline @ 10 dpm commenced.

Hearing this news on taking over, really touched my heart that “IUFD at 40+ wks GA. But as God would have it, she was already 9cm dilated with adequate contraction, 90% effaced, station +2….the labour was allowed to progress and she was encouraged to bear down when fully dilated and behold, through clinical observation skills, while catching the baby on expulsion, I felt a pulsation around the apex of the heart with my fingers encircled around the neonate’s chest. Though, the neonate was weak ++ prior to clamping and ligating the umbilical cord. I said, “This baby is still alive”.

Immediately the doctor heard the news , he ran into the labour room to join me and my colleague. He was amazed. He joined us to stabilize the baby as the baby was provided warmth, stimulated and had airway cleared by moderate suctioning. Other neonatal resuscitation measures were instituted and other newborn care were provided. The placental was delivered through CCT, completeness for Cotyledons and color of the placental were checked and was free of any abnormality.

On assessment, PR- 138bpm, RR- 40bpm, apgar score – 5¹7^5 10^10, BWT- 3.2Kg, Monro Reflex, Babinski Reflex, Sucking reflex were all present.

Baby was cleaned up and dressed and then handed over to her mother and they were both wheeled into the Post Natal Ward.

Mother and relatives started rejoicing on hearing the cry of the new bouncing baby girl and they were in deep appreciation to the nurses whom through their hands God restored hope back to them when they have lost it.

And immediately I just named the Child Miracle and the mother said that will be her first name. She also personally requested me to be present at the child’s naming ceremony. The child and the mother are doing absolutely well till this moment.

The bottom line of this write up is not just to blow up my trumpet but to show us what nurses can do through their good clinical observational skills and competence and many more like these are great things nurses have been doing in their various places of practice that have not yet gone into the records and history.

Thanks to nurses out there for your wonderful works…
I’m a male nurse, I’m not a doctor and I am Proud to be Nurse and not just a nurse but an Extra Ordinary Nurse.
God bless Nursing Profession
Happy International Year of Nurses and Midwives

Arowojolu O. Daniel ( RN, CESM, BNsc in view)