So what would you do??

Matilda

RIP Lindsay
Sep 13, 2006
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I often get called on to help with medical issues for the local Haitian and Dominican population. This is usually for medecine for stomach pains, or cleaning up cuts and burns. Sometimes taking blood pressure, or giving injections. If it is anything more than that I try and take them to the local public hospital.

Two days ago, a Haitian lady asked me to go to her little barrio - like 30 huts - just a minutes walk from my house as there was someone giving birth. I do puppies and kittens but not humans! So I asked a friend who has had a baby - which is more than I have - to give me a hand. They did not have the money to go to the local hospital, who would have done a caesarian and charged for that, plus the stitches, nor did she want to go, as she only spoke patois.

I will not bore you with all the gory details nor the strange habits, such as tying a bandage under the breasts to make the baby move down(!!), but suffice it to say she had a bouncing baby girl, on a piece of cardboard on the floor of her hut, now called after my friend who actually delivered her! Mother and baby are fine. I did the important work of translating and shouting pousse!! (push in patois!)

However my husband (dominican) said we should not have helped as had anything happened to the mother or baby we would have been imprisoned as we are not licensed doctors.

So, what would you have done? Helped as we did or walk away? And am now sure we will be called on to do it again.

I should point out that a doctor in the local private clinic some 5 minutes away refused to help, and also there was no transport available to take her to the public hospital.

Matilda
 
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M.A.R.

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Feb 18, 2006
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Wow that's a difficult one.

but maybe you ladies should get some kind of license then, because for sure they will call upon you again.

Why would a doc refuse to help with delivery, oh wait, these ppl have no money to pay him.
 

drloca

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Oct 26, 2004
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Since some people evidently have forgotten why they ever took the Hippocratic Oath....I think you should at least be "grandfathered" in as a midwife, given all the experience you have under your belt (pardon the pun!):cheeky:
 
Aug 21, 2007
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Matilda, it is a difficult decision. You do always run a risk of things not going well for the mother or for the baby, especially since you are dealing with a population who may not have good nutrition (probably doesn't), a woman who has had no pre-natal care and who may have other medical problems herself that would prohibit a good outcome.

Having said that, I take risks of a different kind in my charity work. I drive AIDS patients to the clinic. I have worked closely with women and children with full blown AIDS.

I lean on my belief system to protect me. That is, if what I am doing is for the benefit of others, then the universe will protect me.

That's not to say I don't take good precautions and use common sense. I do.

So, if you would decide to continue, my advice would be to gather as much birthing education, knowledge, and background about the patient as possible. See if there are some simple credentials you could shield yourself with. Then, go forward with a faith that when you do what you believe is right and good for others, then no harm will come to you.

Lindsey
 

Hillbilly

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Jan 1, 2002
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I see no problem. Good Samaratin work is always blessed.
You could always say you were a comadrona (midwife)...what would anyone know?>?

Next time, and there will be a next time, get newspapers for birthing. They are generally sterile...

Congratulations are in order.

HB
 

Chip

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Jul 25, 2007
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Santiago
As far as I understand the public hospitals are free to all here in the DR including Haitians and the only charges once can occur are for medecine.

At any rate I'm glad everything worked out. Good job!
 

donP

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Dec 14, 2008
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Doctors?

Many doctors here are nothing but repulsive businessmen and some should be put in jail for their unwillingness to help.

You helped a poor soul and did good as a human being.
Kudos to you and congratulations!

donP
 
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Fiesta Mama

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Jan 28, 2004
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It's a hard decision but I think I would have done the same thing under the circumstances. I'm wondering though if they trusted the two of you to help out, why did they not turn to anyone within their own community of huts to help with the delivery? Just curious?

As for going forward, I am sure there are lots of people living in the country, especially in the countryside, that are not licenced and help deliver babies all the time. If you want to safeguard yourself against any problems, check if there is any way of being certified as a mid-wife or something like that or aqn medical aid worker to deliver babies. Also, as Lindsey pointed out, make sure you are protecting yourself with gloves, etc. from any diseases the mother may have.

Job well done. Usually these are the types of jobs that we do without giving it much thought because it seems like the right thing to do at the time but when given time to reflect, all sorts of "what if" questions come to mind.
 

XXKWISIT

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Apr 15, 2007
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I believe you did the right thing! It's a hard decision to make under pressure. But at the end of the day if you can go to sleep at night and think you did the right thing, chances are you did! :)
Congratulations to you and the new mother!
 

Acira

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Sep 20, 2009
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Matilda, way to go! Congrats!

If I would have been in the same position, I would have reacted just the same as you, act in the emergency and then afterwards think about the "consequences".

Don't know the system all that well here so cannot give you any sound advice on how to proceed any further but my god...you did the right thing.
 

Matilda

RIP Lindsay
Sep 13, 2006
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As far as I understand the public hospitals are free to all here in the DR including Haitians and the only charges once can occur are for medecine.QUOTE]

1. The public hospitals are free but you pay for medecine, x rays, stitches, the epidural etc. Most will also make you pay for blood to have on standy whether you need it or not - and when you don't you don't get you rmoney back. It is around 2000 RD$ a pint.

2. Almost all births are caesarians, whether you need them or not, so that will cost between 1 and 2,000 RD$.

3. You are not allowed anyone with you, and the staff only speak spanish, so if you are a creole only speaking Haitian it is very difficult and frightening. Of course the hospitals treat Haitians and Dominicans but I understand from the Haitians that they are not given the same level of care.

4. When I was shot, the public hospital refused to treat me, as they were scared there would be backlash on them if a gringa died whilst in their care.

So, yes they do serve a useful role, but are by no means perfect.

Matilda
 

Condorito

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Aug 2, 2010
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Matilda, you were an angel. Persons like your should be acknowledged and rewarded with public recognition.

Shame on the doctor who refused to help..may he pass kidney stones for the rest of eternity.
 

Felipe A.

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Aug 13, 2010
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Matilda, After the earthquake I worked with US and Canadian nurse midwives birthing and training Haitian women in Haiti. They were sponsored by an NGO out of Boston which continues to send health care professionals to Haiti. It sounds like they could send some of them to the DR. I can put you in touch with the NGO to open a dialogue if you want. Email me at paaronson@gmail.com
 

dv8

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Sep 27, 2006
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mat, sadly, i have to agree with your husband. you'd be in trouble if anything went wrong... you did a great job and kudos to you but i am pretty sure this woman could do it all by herself with only a help from her neighbours: just few generations ago kids were born without doctors, nurses and all that hassle. they still are, in many parts of the world.

as to the doctor - i wish his willy to dry out and fall off! i thought it was punishable by law for a doctor to refuse help. i know that in civilized countries he could easily loose his license for that. what a c*ck.
 

pyratt

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Jan 14, 2007
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I see no problem. Good Samaratin work is always blessed.
You could always say you were a comadrona (midwife)...what would anyone know?>?

Next time, and there will be a next time, get newspapers for birthing. They are generally sterile...

Congratulations are in order.

HB
The day we stop responding to the needs of others will be the end of "humanity" and the humane things we do for one another...the TRUTH is always seen in people's actions.....good job!
 

el forastero

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Oct 25, 2009
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You did the right thing. If you want to continue doing this, study up and just do it. It is easier to beg forgiveness than to ask permission. No one connected to the government seems to want to help people in this situation.
 

beeza

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Nov 2, 2006
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Matilda, well done you!

I think you did the right thing. Although I can understand your husband's concern about the repercussions if things went wrong.

Do you have any medical training? Maybe a St Johns ambulance certificate or something similar? All you did was administer first aid.

Don't worry about those ambulance chasing idiot lawyers, you're not in the UK or USA! At least a modicum of common sense still prevails here for the time being.

Another option is to use a bit of imagination and the internet and print yourself some qualifications. I bet most of the doctors here have done the same!
 

Matilda

RIP Lindsay
Sep 13, 2006
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I do have some medical training. I watch ER and Greys anatomy and Casualty! Also as a dive instructor I hold a medic first aid certificate including CPR, but does not include child birth!!! Not a lot of babies born underwater! Good idea re internet!!

matilda