Hello
My name is Debbie. I am a Certified instructor with CAPPA sitting the Lamaze Exam in Oct.
I have been teaching at our local large hospital for 2 years. I average 30 students a month.
I teach the Teen Childbirth Education classes that include newborn care and breastfeeding and I am also a doula. I am also a former labor and delivery nurse.
My question(s) are these:
Recently after a meeting amongst the education office and nurse managers, we were told to down play the use of the tub, jacuzzi (3 great ones on the floor) and walking as it rarely happens and that now almost all patients are monitored continuesly.
THEN
We were just issued the standard "consent" forms the one's used when a patient registers to get our students to sign while in class. WE, the instructors would have to serve as witness to these forms that is all over consent for release of medical information, insurance information, consent for treatment etc.
These forms as we have been advised are for the Medicaid clients only and the purpose is so that medicaid pays for the classes.
I am SO very uncomfortable with this. I've expressed my concerns with little response,but do have the option of speaking with the legal department.
So I would like to know, as a educator, soon to be certified (I hope) isn't this WAY out of my scope as a educator? These consents are not just for payment, but also sign as consent for treatment. As a nurse, I am NOT acting as a nurse in my educator role so I am not providing informed consent. I hope that makes sense.
My first question is just frustrating. How to keep with Normal Birth when being told "not to get their hopes up" about their experince? I walk a very very fine and ever thinning line. Especially when it comes to teaching teens, some as young as 12.
Now is a perfect opportunity for these young women to begin to take charge of their lives, their health care, their choices. For them to realize the power within them. I have been a teen mother for 22 years and to give these young ladies and young families the tools to empower themselves has been a phenomenal experience. I don't want to stop being a part of that.
My apologies for the length....It's been a complicated 2 weeks.
Thank you for any input
Debbie
By: gadoula