what if i don’t like my nurse?
A big anxiety point for some people is not being able to choose which nurses are assigned to them in labor. There are a couple pathways for helping with this.
When you arrive in Triage or are checking in to the hospital, you are free to ask for a nurse that you feel would be more aligned with your birth plan.
For example:
“My goal is to labor without pain medication, and I would appreciate being assigned someone who has experience helping their patients with non-pharmaceutical pain relief.”
“I am planning a VBAC, and I would love to be assigned a nurse who has experience navigating successful VBACs with their patients.”
“My pregnancy has been complicated, and I would like to be assigned to an experienced nurse as opposed to someone who is new to L&D or in training.”
However, situations do arise when you are just not connecting with your nurse for whatever reason. In that case, if you are not comfortable waiting for a shift change, you can ask to speak with the charge nurse at any time and be reassigned to a different nurse.
For example:
“I am just not connecting with Susan today, and I would like to be reassigned to a nurse that has a different mode of communication.”
“Susan is great, but her talkative personality is just not lining up with my need for quiet in my labor space. Could you please reassign me to a nurse who has a quieter presence?”
It’s important to remember that even nurses have bad days, and in the end, you don’t owe anyone an explanation. You can simply tell the either your nurse or the charge nurse: “I need a new nurse.” Your partner can be the one to communicating these needs but your doula cannot legally request a new nurse for you. However, once you or your partner have stated the request, your doula can help navigate the change and communicating with your providers.
Christine Rogers is a birth doula and childbirth educator in Alaska, serving Anchorage, Eagle River and the Mat-Su Valley. A mom of four, she works hard to ensure every client she serves has a positive and empowering birth experience. She can be reached online at www.drawneardoula.com, or emailed directly at drawneardoula@gmail.com.
Looking for more birth planning resources? Check out my free Birth Preferences Worksheet and free Guide to Choosing A Care Provider!
