Running head: REFECTIVE ESSAY 1
Reflective Essay
Chamberlain College of Nursing
NR 501Theoretical Basis for Advanced Nursing Practice
Reflective Essay
Situation
, 2
REFECTIVE ESSAY
Once I finished nursing school I started working in labor and delivery. Labor and
delivery have always been my passion, and I knew from nursing school that I wanted to work in
this field. In nursing school, I ever tried to get all experience I can with my OB rotation. The
first week of my work I was asked to perform the vaginal exam to determine the cervical
effacement as well as dilation. I felt very unprepared because I never learn this hands-on practice
in nursing school. I learn the theory part, but when trying to do hands-on without any visual, it
was challenging. My preceptor explained to me what I was looking for but once when
performing actual exam every anatomy is different which makes it very tough. After completing
the vaginal exam, preceptor asked me if it was head down. I said, “yes, but please double check.”
Preceptor didn’t check once the patient was more in pain she checked and the patient was rushed
to C-section due to breach position.
Nursing Issue Inherent to the Situation
For labor and delivery nurse if vaginal exams are not accurate, she can risk the baby and
mother health. Vaginal examination is essential during laboring mother. For a baby to be born,
the mothers' cervix needs to change from being close to full dilated which is 10 centimeters.
Vaginal examinations give information on dilation of the cervix, the position of the presenting
part of the fetus in mother’s pelvis (Wiley, J 2014). “Vaginal examinations aim to reassure the
woman (and staff) that the woman is laboring normally, and to provide early warning if this is
not the case (Wiley, J 2014)”. My rationale behind vaginal examination is necessary for laboring
women but, there have to be hands-on visual training in nursing school or separate class that
goes more in-depth for nurses interested in labor and delivery. Vaginal examinations do not
show an increase in the risk of infection for mother and fetus, but instead, there are more benefits
on vaginal exam (Women's Health Care Physicians 2017).
Reflective Essay
Chamberlain College of Nursing
NR 501Theoretical Basis for Advanced Nursing Practice
Reflective Essay
Situation
, 2
REFECTIVE ESSAY
Once I finished nursing school I started working in labor and delivery. Labor and
delivery have always been my passion, and I knew from nursing school that I wanted to work in
this field. In nursing school, I ever tried to get all experience I can with my OB rotation. The
first week of my work I was asked to perform the vaginal exam to determine the cervical
effacement as well as dilation. I felt very unprepared because I never learn this hands-on practice
in nursing school. I learn the theory part, but when trying to do hands-on without any visual, it
was challenging. My preceptor explained to me what I was looking for but once when
performing actual exam every anatomy is different which makes it very tough. After completing
the vaginal exam, preceptor asked me if it was head down. I said, “yes, but please double check.”
Preceptor didn’t check once the patient was more in pain she checked and the patient was rushed
to C-section due to breach position.
Nursing Issue Inherent to the Situation
For labor and delivery nurse if vaginal exams are not accurate, she can risk the baby and
mother health. Vaginal examination is essential during laboring mother. For a baby to be born,
the mothers' cervix needs to change from being close to full dilated which is 10 centimeters.
Vaginal examinations give information on dilation of the cervix, the position of the presenting
part of the fetus in mother’s pelvis (Wiley, J 2014). “Vaginal examinations aim to reassure the
woman (and staff) that the woman is laboring normally, and to provide early warning if this is
not the case (Wiley, J 2014)”. My rationale behind vaginal examination is necessary for laboring
women but, there have to be hands-on visual training in nursing school or separate class that
goes more in-depth for nurses interested in labor and delivery. Vaginal examinations do not
show an increase in the risk of infection for mother and fetus, but instead, there are more benefits
on vaginal exam (Women's Health Care Physicians 2017).
