New parents and pregnant women are very careful about their newborns. Who doesn’t want to be able to keep their infant safe, comfortable, and happy? Nurses have developed many mnemonics, such as “veal chop,” to help them find signs of medical conditions in pregnant women and new mothers. Many parents can also be benefited from learning these mnemonic devices to identify symptoms.
MNEMONICS & TIPS
WHAT IS A NURSING MNEMONIC?
A mnemonic is a technique or device for serving you recall
something; mnemonics are sometimes a form of letters. Nurses use mnemonics to
remember vital ideas and steps. Many of the mnemonics that nurses use, such as
veal chop nursing, also put on parents. Keep reading for a full breakdown of
the most relevant maternity mnemonics all parents should know.
What is veal chop
nursing?
Veal chop nursing, is a mnemonic used during delivery to
remember critical heart rate pattern changes. Rapid increases (acceleration) or
decreases (deceleration) in a fetus’s heart rate can be a reason of concern.
VEAL CHOP allows nurses to realize what the infant is
feeling and if action is required. Broken down, VEAL CHOP works together with
each letter in the first word correlating with the matching letter in the
second word (V to C, E to H, and so on):
Variable — Cord compression
Early — Head compression
Accelerations — Okay
Late — Placental insufficiency
Each step of VEAL CHOP prompts a dissimilar reaction from
the healthcare team.
VARIABLE — CORD COMPRESSION
Variable decelerations in a heartbeat could be because of
cord compression. When this happens, the first step is to alteration the
mother’s position to release potential cord compression. If this doesn’t ease
the cord compression, the nurse may call for an amnioinfusion (reintroduction
of fluids into uterine cavity), which, as said by Cochrane Review, improves
decelerations, five-minute Apgar scores, and mean umbilical artery pH;
decreases the occurrence of postpartum endometritis; and also reduces the rates
of cesarean delivery.
EARLY — HEAD COMPRESSION
Primary decelerations in heart rate tend to mirror
contractions. And, in combination with head compression, this is a hint that
the mother is ready for delivery. There is also a contradictory study that
suggests that head compression causing fetal heart rate decelerations during
labor is a myth.
ACCELERATIONS — OKAY
Despite the scary idea of an infant’s quickening heart rate,
it’s actually a symbol of a well and cheerful baby. No action is required.
LATE — PLACENTAL INSUFFICIENCY
If there are late decelerations, meaning that there is a
continuing decline in the fetal heart rate durable for 30 or more seconds
naturally following a uterine contraction, it’s a possible sign of
uteroplacental deficiency. This is the most worrying type of decelerations. The
nurse will have the mother go to the left or right side or take her knees to
her chest to rise blood flow to the uterus and placenta. If symptoms don’t
fall, intravenous hydration, an oxygen mask, ending uterotonics, or surgery
(such as a C-section) may be needed.
VEAL CHOP is a valuable term for nurses to learn to know how
to perform when the fetal heart rate promptly changes. Many of these instances
require fast action.
OTHER USEFUL MATERNAL NURSING MNEMO
For healthcare professionals employed in the labor and
distribution unit, there’s more than just VEAL CHOP to remember. Other
important maternal nursing mnemonics include:
BUBBLE HE
Postpartum depression moves more mothers than maximum people
realize. In fact, many moms will not know they had postpartum unhappiness until
many years later. The nursing mnemonic BUBBLE HE is meant to help nurses
monitor new mothers for a variation of postpartum issues, including depression.
New mothers can also use this mnemonic to identify their own symptoms.
Understanding there is a difficulty is the first stage to
getting aid. There is no shame in asking for help; in fact, it takes courage to
look out for yourself and address issues.
BUBBLE HE views for breast, uterus, bowel, bladder, lochia,
episiotomy, Homans’ sign, and responsive status.
• Breast —
Some new mothers knowledge cracked nipples that can convert infected. It’s
vital to test mothers’ breasts frequently after birth and express some of the
breast milk even if the baby is not feeding.
• Uterus —
After birth, nurses will unceasingly check the mother’s cervix for firmness. A
lack of inflexibility can be an primary symbol of an infection.
• Bowel —
Nurses will check for regular bowel movements that can pass without discomfort.
• Bladder —
Women who just gave birth are encouraged to stay hydrated and pee frequently.
The urine should be clear yellow, and the bladder shouldn’t be expanded.
• Lochia —
Lochia is the vaginal discharge containing blood, mucous, and uterine tissue
that a woman yields after birth. The lochia release should have have a natural
pattern. For the first three to five days, it will be dark red with small blood
clots not greater than a plum. Around days 4
• Lochia —
Lochia is the vaginal discharge having blood, mucous, and uterine tissue that a
woman produces after birth. The lochia discharge should have a normal pattern.
For the first three to five days, it will be dark red with small blood clots
not larger than a plum. Around days 4 to 10, it will become a more-watery light
pink or brownish color. Eventually, from days 10 to 28, it will convert a
whitish-yellow color. Signs of clotting or an unpleasant smell can be a symbol
of an infection.
• Episiotomy
— If the mother had an episiotomy, she may see mild edema (swelling) for a few
days after birth. However, staining, excessive swelling, or discharge from the
slit is not normal.
• Homans’
sign — Pain in the calf or leg is known as Homans’ sign and can indicate
thrombosis. If a new mother is experiencing discomfort late the knee, she
should consult her doctor.
• Emotional
status — If a mother doesn’t seem to be bonding with her new or is exhibiting
erratic behavior, it could be a cause for concern. Moms can watch themselves
for changes in their expressive status and seek help if they feel it’s needed.
Women are especially susceptible to postpartum depression during the time
starting from delivery to six weeks later.
A new mom’s body and mind will go through changes, and it’s
crucial to understand how the mom is coping. Many of the symptoms outlined in
BUBBLE HE are physical. However, physical pain and infections can take an
expressive toll on new parents. BUBBLE HE delivers a good plan for looking
after and taking care of new mothers after delivery.
HELLP SYNDROME
HELLP syndrome is a nursing mnemonic used to diagnose a
life-threatening variant of preeclampsia. The disorder is characterized by fast
deteriorating liver function and thrombocytopenia. Patients with HELLP syndrome
who present with frank hepatic disappointment should be screened for acute
fatty liver of pregnancy.
Postpartum preeclampsia occurs when a mother has
exceptionally high amounts of protein in her urine and high blood pressure
shortly after birth. While postpartum preeclampsia is a rare disorder, it can
be potentially hazardous. Catching this ailment as soon as possible is a mom’s
best chance for avoiding further complications.
HELLP stands for hemolysis, raised liver enzymes, and low
platelet count.
Hemolysis is when the body breaks down red blood cells too
rapidly. This can lead to anemia, which can lead to further medical problems.
Elevated lactate dehydrogenase and/or schistocytes (fragmented blood cells) on
a peripheral blood smear could be signs of hemolysis.
ELEVATED LIVER ENZYMES
Elevated liver enzymes can be a symbol that the liver has
been compromised and can’t function correctly.
LOW PLATELET COUNT
Platelets help with clotting, meaning a little platelet
count can put someone at risk for excessive bleeding. This, in combination with
hemolysis, is mainly concerning.
While postpartum preeclampsia is a less common disorder,
recognizing the signs early on is vital for a new mother’s safety.
LARA CROFT
LARA CROFT is one of the most significant nursing mnemonics.
This mnemonic device is used to analyze the causes of abdominal discomfort
during pregnancy. While abdominal pain is common and can be normal, there are
times when it’s a symbol of a more important difficulty.
LARA CROFT stands for labor, abruptio placenta, rupture,
abortion, cholestasis, rectus sheath hematoma, ovarian tumor, fibroids, and
torsion of the uterus.
LABOR
Abdominal discomfort could be the first sign of labor.
ABRUPTIO PLACENTAE
This is when the placenta prematurely separates from the
uterus, creating abdominal pain and bleeding. This is very risky if left
untreated.
RUPTURE (ECTOPIC/UTERINE)
A ruptured ectopic pregnancy naturally causes internal
bleeding and intense abdominal pains. A rupture of the uterus is also very
painful and is a dangerous emergency. This condition is quite rare, occurring
in 1 out of 15,000 to 20,000 deliveries for patients with no prior uterine
surgery.
ABORTION (SPONTANEOUS)
Also known as miscarriage, this is when the body naturally
ejects the fetus.
CHOLESTASIS
When bile from the liver doesn’t escape, it’s called
cholestasis. While very painful but not as dangerous for the expecting mother,
it can be hazardous for the baby and cause complications such as stillbirth or
preterm birth.
RECTUS SHEATH HEMATOMA
Rectus sheath is a rare hematoma that reasons tearing within
the rectus.
OVARIAN TUMOR
Ovarian cysts are not generally a threat to the mother or
the baby and can resolve themselves naturally (in the case of a functional
cyst).
FIBROIDS
Fibroids are benign tumors that originate in the uterus and
are made of smooth muscle fibers (myometrium). Luckily, fibroids very seldom
pose a danger to the mother or the baby dependent on their size and location.
TORSION OF THE UTERUS
This occurs when there is a revolution of more than 45
degrees around the long axis of the uterus.
It’s essential to understand when it’s appropriate to
overlook or to address abdominal discomfort. Having this knowledge on hand can
make an expectant mother feel in switch of her pregnancy and the symptoms she’s
experiencing.
THE TAKEAWAY
VEAL CHOP, BUBBLE HE, HELLP syndrome, and LARA CROFT are
some of the caring nursing mnemonics that healthcare teams use to care for new
mothers and babies.
0 Comments