On my first day at the antepartum unit, I had three patients. The first patient was not pregnant; she came in for a digital examination after having preeclampsia childbirth. She noted that she had a slight headache, and her risk for postpartum preeclampsia was high due to her condition during delivery and her age – she gave birth at 35. This experience was notable to me, as postpartum preeclampsia is a rare and serious condition. Therefore, a nurse should be prepared in all spheres related to her specialization and consider patients’ needs during each visit.
My two other patients were pregnant and had similar complications. One patient, a 37-year-old female, was 36 weeks pregnant and came in with a complaint of high blood pressure. The patient had a history of herpes, which did not appear to be present now, and human papillomavirus (HPV). The latter part of the patient’s records does not present much danger to the fetus, as there is no supported link between HPV and miscarriage or pregnancy complications. Nevertheless, the patient also had a 20-week loss, which could potentially inflict mental stress on her, negatively affecting her wellbeing. Upon examination, her blood pressure (BP) was 137/74, and she was alert and oriented x4. Overall, she appeared to be in good health with good fluid intake and no other concerns.
The last patient I saw on that day also came in with concerns about high BP. The patient was 36 weeks and three days pregnant – at 36 weeks, she was admitted with a BP of 154/93, but on the day of the examination, her BP was 146/86. She did not have any history before the pregnancy that could raise the risks of miscarriage or other complications. However, several days ago, she had an incident where her contractions started prematurely before being sent back to the antepartum unit. Overall, her current condition is improving, although her BP still raises concerns about preeclampsia. By reviewing two similar cases, I saw the patterns in patients’ symptoms and was able to practice my examination and communication skills.