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Rave for Virginia Hospital Center
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Anonymous
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Just wanted to let everyone who's delivering at VHC or considering it that I delivered my daughter there last week and the doctors, nurses, and staff were incredible. After a day of labor and no progression even after induction (and after a week being overdue), the doctor determined that the cord was wrapped around my baby's neck and that we needed to do a C-section. Through that experience and during the four days in the post-partum area everyone was fantastic. Each time there was a shift change I would worry a little: "Is this a nurse I won't like?" and each time they were fantastic. I know I was nervous about how the hospital experience would go and it was such a relief. Good luck to all expectant moms!
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Anonymous
Which OB practice did you go to? |
Anonymous
Thanks for letting us know! I'm delivering there in about 7 weeks! |
Anonymous
| OP here. I'm with Women to Women. Dr. Caskie performed the C-section and I was blown away by her during all of this as well. |
Anonymous
I have to concur. I was trying for a homebirth actually, and it didn't quite work out.  But VHC was AMAZING and all the L&D nurses are VERY nice. Can't say enough nice things about how we were treated.
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Anonymous
| I agree. I delivered at VHC in April. I'm with Arlington Women's Center, specifically Dr. Masel who luckily was on call and delivered me. Everyone was great. |
Anonymous
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Well, I've already posted about this, but I certainly had the exact opposite experience at VHC. My L&D nurse was terrible. Not real bright, not particularly nice, and both she and the doctor (Piness, on call w/ AWC) managed to completely miss the fact that I was deep in advanced labor, instead insisting we were waiting til morning to start pitocin (I was "ripening" w/ cytotec) until I finally just announced I would be pooping. The nurse yelled at me to stop pushing, that I would just irritate my cervix. Suffice to say, I was holding my baby less than 10 minutes later. She and I were perfectly healthy so how can I really complain; I just found their treatment of me to be a total bummer. I ended up with an epidural, which I really didn't want, and which I didn't receive until I was already at the pushing stage. (I held off telling the nurse I was gonna poop until the anesthesiologist left the room.)
So, it's always going to be hit or miss with things like this. Watch out for Marissa though. Also when I asked her for a warm compress on my perineum while pushing, she said she had never heard of anyone doing that, and "most people just tear." Thanks for nothing, bitch. |
Anonymous
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how did your doctor determine that the cord was around the baby's neck? my understanding is that a cord around the neck is not automatically a problem, and that many babies born vaginally come out with a cord around the neck and are just fine.
were you induced just for being a week past your due date or some other reason? i am considering this practice, but do not want to be induced for no reason before 42 weeks. |
Anonymous
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Another poster who had a bad experience at VHC.
I was a scheduled C-section and my OB and anesthesiologist were great, but the nurses were pretty horrible. I had one good baby nurse and one good recovery nurse. Other than that, I think they were just over-worked and tired. Not necessarily their fault, but still not a good experience. If I'm able to get pregnant again, I'm delivering #2 elsewhere. |
Anonymous
| FWIW, I delivered there 4 years ago and had a jerk anesthesiologist, but a good experience otherwise. Certainly good enough that I'm going back next month to deliver #2. It helps that my midwife is there, and we have hired a doula this time to help navigate the L&D experience. |
Anonymous
| I love VHC. I delivered there last fall and I am delivering there again next Spring. I had a csection. |
Anonymous
| I love VHC and my experience was good but not great. The one thing I suggest to anyone regardless of delivery method (planned c-section for a footling breech baby) is to stay on top of your meds. Know when your next one is scheduled and remind the nurse 15 minutes ahead of time. All it takes is one set of pills to get behind before you're sobbing in pain. The unfortunate thing is when they have a big influx of patients they may not have staffing to take care of them all with their ratio (I think it's a 1 to 12 for normal patients) which can be a lot at once. |
Anonymous
| New poster with a terrible VHC experience, from the L&D nurse, to my OB, to the recovery nurses. My sister, who is a critical care nurse at another hospital, was with me for most of my stay, and couldn't believe each event as it happened. While in excruciating pain following delivery, the L&D nurse just left. My sister found her at the nurses desk to ask for IV pain meds, and she actually told her that her shift was over, and I'd have to wait until the new nurse coming on could get in there. Coming from a family of nurses, you just don't do something like that - you turn over your shift when all your patients are comfortable and in a good place, even if you're officially past your shift ending. The shift nurses couldn't figure out how the cold packs worked, had trouble throughout the night keeping my morphine drip working, I could go on. I'm delivering #2 at Fairfax, and switched from Women to Women to another OB practice - the difference is night and day. |
Anonymous
| I had both my children there (2 years ago and 6 months ago) and was very pleased with the care. The labor & delivery and postpartum nurses were great. The lactation consultants came to my room daily and really helped me with the breastfeeding. Overall, GREAT care, the hospital seems friendly and calm. |
Anonymous
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I delivered there a few years ago. It was very, very busy. I had to labor for an hour and half in the dad's waiting room - where there were very few seats. Finally, after nearly 30 minutes of huffing and puffing, someone finally gave me a seat. They finally admitted me (at 5 cm). My husband kept going back and telling them that I was really, really in labor. Well, we just had to wait. Once in, my labor nurse was FANTASTIC! She made me want to become a nurse. Truly amazing. I wish that I could remember her name.
My complaints: There are A LOT of medical students who wander in and out to look at you know what over and over again. I wish that I stood up and said "NO MORE!" So maybe that was my fault. It took 2 hours to get an epidural. Again, it was a busy night. My recovery nurses were great during the day and bad at night. The night nurses did not have the same warmth and concern as the day ones did. But the worst part of all was when one of the nurses refused to give me my pain med because she thought that she had already given it to me. I was in the shower when she came in with my dose, and I told her to come back in a few minutes. She never did and logged in that I had taken the pill. My husband and I pleaded with her to give me the damn pain killer. (I had a 4th degree epesiotomy and forcep delivery). I was pissed and had to wait another four hours for more. I think that all of these things can happen at any hospital - good and bad. Hope this helps! |