"Aaaah····Ahhhhng"
Just a couple of hours after the morning shift had began, Pristine, heavily pregnant, was admitted after her contractions became regular.
"Pristine! hold on——how about some water" said the husband, completely flustered.
– Definitely their first child.
Several days had passed since Joan transferred to the maternity ward. Thankfully, she learned a few things here and there, although her knowledge is still shallow as there hadn't been enough opportunities to gain experience, thanks to the vastly empty beds assigned to Vera.
But even so, very never allowed Joan to waste her time, she taught her the basics procedures, from caring for patients, and communicating with their family, to sterilizing the delivery room. She even demonstrated what her part would be after entering the delivery room for the very few first times.
As for more practical practices, such as checking the temperature and pulse or timing the contractions, Joan had experienced that, thought briefly through one patient that was luckily assigned to one of their beds, the very next day she transferred. Plus, she learned her fair share in the outpatient clinic with Vera company every other day.
"Allow me. Mr Faermair" said Vera to the husband asking for space for regular examination.
Then she placed her hand on the fundus, while timing the contractions with her watch, Vera determined the cycle as every ten minutes.
"No worries, it's still a long way" comforting the couple, Vera called Joan to measure the mother and child pulse.
After positioning the wooden pinard below the navel, Joan locked her ear on top of its slot and began to listen carefully while calculating with her watch, and then comparing the results with mother's pulse on her wrist.
"Fetal heart rate is one hundred and forty per minute, and maternal pulse is eighty.Both are normal"
"You need not worry, the beginning is fine, as the doctor already told you, we simply wait for labour to progress."
"Ma'am, do you want some water, or an assist of any kind?" Vera asked cautiously, as she noticed the irritated Pristine.
Joan had seen pain countless times in the emergency department, yet labour was different. There was no blood-soaked urgency, no desperate rush against death. Only time, endurance, and the quiet hope that both mother and child would come through safely.
"No need, thank you"
Hearing that, Vera and Joan dispersed, leaving some space for the couple. For now, the examinations would be repeated roughly every hour. As labour progressed and the contractions drew closer together, the interval between assessments would gradually shorten.
Joan walking to the end of the ward, was reviewing her notes, when Helen tapped her shoulder.
"How was it? That's only the second labour you had followed, isn't it?"
"Not bad, I'm getting used to it. I hope it goes well. By the way, where is Elise? I didn't see her after breakfast" replying, Joan asked about Elise not seeing her around.
"She was called out to assist with home delivery with doctor Alfred" said Helen shrugging.
"Oh, as expected. She is one of the nurses who is highly sought after for home deliveries"
"Don't be jealous, it's only time before it's your turn" Helen teased her as she chuckled.
"Don't mock me, there are plenty of nurses who are a head of me"
"Haha, an expected answer from you"
The same measurement happened two more times before lunch, after making sure Pristine had a few bites, Vera told Joan to have her lunch first before switching with her.
After it was Vera time to have her lunch, Joan stayed near their patient. Helping her walk from time to time as her husband went out to bring his mother. Within less than fifteen minutes, Pristine's waters broke. With Vera not there Joan handled it calmly by reassuring first, assisting her changing into dry linens before beginning to measure the contractions which became every seven minutes, growing stronger.
Vera came amidst the measurements,
"There is still time, it's almost one afternoon."
With the passing of time, it became much harder for Pristine to hold back her crying, she was drenched in sweat with Joan and Vera helping her in rotation. Until the husband and his mother came who took their job.
Amidst the tearful scream from the patient who was holding her husband's hand strongly, Vera reached with her cloven hand into her opening for the fourth time.
"It's time, she is nearly fully dilated, go call for doctor Faras"
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