Labor & Delivery, Gayane Cherechyan, Adventist Health Glendale

The closest physician was 10 minutes away, which left me to try to deliver this breech baby as a VBAC (vaginal birth after caesarean). I thought of our former OB/GYN, who died some years ago, and I did everything I knew he would have done.

Our OB/GYN rushed in and said, “Gayane, you’re doing all the right things, so I’m going to glove up and help you.” A few seconds later, the baby was safely delivered and passed off to the NICU team. We were all praying and waiting for the baby to cry, which she did. I left the room, collapsed in a chair in the hallway, and started to cry as well.

When you witness a stillbirth or other tragic circumstance, how do you approach the parents and also take care of yourself?

This is the hardest time a parent will ever go through, so we try to be understanding and empathic. We also have to consider parents’ cultural backgrounds — we have a very diverse patient population. I ask parents if they have a plan, if they want to see the baby, if they want pictures, or if we can put together a memory box for them. I’ve often had tears in my eyes while counseling parents after the death of a child. These things are incredibly difficult and tragic for everyone involved. We always have a debriefing afterwards to talk about what happened and cry together.

How does your unit encourage mother-baby bonding?

We focus on the “golden hour” right after the baby comes. When a baby is born, the most important thing is for the mom to hold her baby, so we do our initial assessment with the baby safely on mom’s chest.

What are the characteristics of an excellent L&D nurse?

When we interview applicants, we offer case scenarios, such as how they would handle a patient who comes in with a very specific birth plan. Will the applicant listen to the patient and help them have the experience they want? How will they solve problems and keep patients happy?

The most important thing for a successful L&D nurse is to listen to patients with respect and compassion so they will trust you. I’ve received many thank-you cards from parents over the years, and they say they appreciate that I’m a good listener, respect their decisions, and am willing to be their advocate on issues like wanting a vaginal birth when the doctor says they should consider a C-section.

We also look for nurses who have the patience and skill to help moms to breastfeed and bond with their babies.

Do you recommend that nurses first gain med-surg experience before going into L&D?

We actually have a six-month new grad resid-ency program. We always support new nurses in learning all about L&D.

Are there always new things to learn?

We have unit-based council meetings where we discuss the latest research so we can give feedback to the hospital.

Do you have any career goals or plans you’d like to share?

Adventist Health Glendale is truly my second home. I basically grew up here: volunteer, CNA, surgical tech, RN, BSN, lead and relief shift supervisor.  I might eventually get my master’s degree and become a certified nurse midwife. Nursing is a lifelong process, and every day there’s something new to learn.

KEITH CARLSON, RN, BSN, NC-BC, has worked as a nurse since 1996 and offers expert professional coaching at www.nursekeith.com.

In this Article: Career Advice, Pregnancy and Childbirth