I have worked on the postnatal wards before and have been doing really well with mentors however today i was really told off today for not examining all my postnatal women's perineum that have had stitches.

I always ask about how they are feeling down there and if they have any concerns and if they did i would offer to examin it for them. I have never been taught to examin every woman, every day.

Has any one else come across this?? or is there something i have missed.

Im with you on this one. The only time we make definatley sure that the perineum has been checked is on discharge but even then if you offer and they refuse then you can only document this in the notes, that you offered and they refused. We certainly dont check every day....

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Anyone else had any experience of this?

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I do the same as you.. Ask them how they are feeling 'down below' and ask if they have any concerns or want me to check there stitches.. Never been taught to check everyday.. The only time it is policy for the women's stitches to be checked before they leave the hospital is if she has had a 3rd degree tear!

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Duel X
3rd year student midwife
Moderator

I haven't been on placement on the post natal ward yet, but I am on there the week after next, so I will see what happens and post on here then.

Pauline

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Midwifemissy x

Student Midwife 2007
Student uni rep
Educational Resources Manager

PAB Support Worker

I have just finished my PN placement and we certainly did not check every day. If they were ok and only in for 24 hours then we didn't look at all unless the woman requested it. Even with a third degree tear we only checked once unless there were clinical indications to check it again.

I think of it as similar to a VE - don't do it unless you have to.

Post natal time is for a woman to get use to her own body after baby is born. I have too asked the question of how she is feeling down there, painful, ooze etc. I advise her to get use to looking at the area herself and advise her what to look for. I feel this way she feels she has some dignity left.

I do ensure that they are comfortable looking or if feel uneasy I do let them know I have no problem looking and 98% of time they want to do it themselves with a mirror.

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We will usually check them before she goes home or if she requests it before that (depends on how long she stays in).

Can't say that I check many perineniums. I always ask how they are feeling - I trust them to tell me if they have any problems.