To be a labor and delivery nurse you have to be very patient and have the ability to be very forgiving. Extreme pain, like the pain experienced during labor, can make people act completely different for the way they normally do. I always try not to judge people on their behavior prior to getting their epidural. Sometimes the difference is like day and night. The patient I had today, however, truly tested my patience. I’ve had patients who have yelled and cursed before. I’ve had people be incredibly rude. But this woman took the prize for the most hysterical and histrionic patient I have ever had.
I’ve been working in L&D for 4 years and I’ve taken care of over a thousand patients. None of them have ever been like this. The ones that have come close are the ones who have come in completely dilated and ready to push. This woman was only 5 cm dilated (out of a total 10) and the baby’s head was nowhere close to coming out. Usually, even when patients are rude, offensive or vulgar, they are apologetic about it. This woman seemed to have no qualms about her behavior. She was so loud that my other patient three doors down the hall asked what was going on.
The woman kept screaming, “I’m in pain!!! Don’t you people understand that I’m in pain?!?!?” No ma’am, you’ve only told us 50 billion times, but we haven’t gotten the message yet. Do not blame me because the sole anesthesiologist is placing an epidural for the woman down the hall who is 8 cm dilated. You are just going to have to start acting like an adult and wait your turn. We are not denying you pain medication, you just have to WAIT. I hate to sound unsympathetic and I really always try to be understanding, but this woman just really pushed my buttons.
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