# Can an embryo transfer be done by a nurse?



## Chemgirl (Aug 10, 2014)

Have my ET planned for next Friday at Care Manchester
I have had two ETs done with the same clinic and they are always done with the consultants with the embryologists doing their bit. 

I am really concerned that the clinic is short staffed and hence using nurses, albeit she is a senior nurse. I feel I have spent thousands, putting my body through a full immune cocktail of drugs and giving up my only two frosties only for the skilled part to be done by an unqualified practitioner.

Please advise if I am being too picky or should I insist on a consultant?  

Thanks in advance x


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## mierran (Apr 24, 2009)

For me so long as the person is experienced I don't care who does transfer. I would be more concerned about the fact they are short staffed therefor potentially someone inexperienced is doing the transfer than the whether they are a nurse or consultant. I would much rather have an experienced nurse than an inexperienced consultant.  It's not the most intellectually demanding of tasks, but you want someone who has done it many times before.

I would ask who is doing the transfer, and how many they have done, and what their success rates are.

good luck

x x


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## Chemgirl (Aug 10, 2014)

Thank you, definitely something to ask tomorrow. Think it's cos it's just close to Xmas but to my reckoning they were putting a lot of patients off until after Xmas.


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## beckalouise (Aug 29, 2010)

Personally it wouldn't bother me. As a specialist nurse myself (all be it in cancer not fertility), you will find nurses jump through a lot more hoops to be able to undertake a specific task (courses, practice, supervision etc) than any doctor would.  Take a cannula (tube put in back of hand for IV meds) for examples id ask for an experienced nurse over ANY doctor they are rubbish. The consultant who put mine in for CSection was rubbish, didn't follow correct produces (hand washing, wearing gloves etc). I think they get old and complacent!! and like mierran said ET is the least complicated bit and nurses did all my monitoring scans, dosage increase etc.

Anyway rant over! I had 3 ET at care Manchester all with different docs and different outcomes.

Wishing you all the best x


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## beckalouise (Aug 29, 2010)

Wow excuses the grammar, can you tell it was our works Xmas do last night!!

Good luck for tomorrow x


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## fellybabe (Aug 6, 2012)

For embryo transfer, I won't let a senior nurse do the transfer but i  can manage the two embryologists.


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## Lilly83 (Jan 19, 2012)

I'm at Care Manchester, Mr Atkinson did mine as their request as he did my scratch and had problems 'getting in' so they insisted on sedation for the ET

I would let a nurse do it had there not been issues, someone said to me it's like putting a grain of rice in a bucket of sand you can't really go wrong 

L x


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## Chemgirl (Aug 10, 2014)

Thanks so much for your replies -  the nurse did say she would set the catheter thingy up and it would be the embryologists doing the plunging. I also think its right the senior nurse is probably more recently trained, I know when I go to my GP surgery, I prefer to see the young junior doctor who seems more thorough than the older doctors who will just prescribe whatever I ask for (might come handy for the clexane prescription later lol)

Ideally i would like Mr Atkinson as he is brill but they couldn't tell me who would be working that day.

I suppose I should be grateful I have made it to ET and be even happier if my two blasts defrost successfully.


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## Chemgirl (Aug 10, 2014)

By the way Doctor Who is not one of the resident GP's in my surgery!


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## beckalouise (Aug 29, 2010)

my fab work collegue is Dr Oo. All the patients call her Dr Who or double 0 when they are new!


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## Sashaj (Jul 25, 2011)

With all due respect to nurses  I would never have a nurse doing the transfer regardless their training. We are paying a ridiculous amount of money for ivfs hence I would want the consultant as this is the usual procedure. I have never heard of nurses doing transfers. The consultant is supposed to be the top specialist (this is why he is a consultant) and you are paying for their skills, experience and expertise. 

I would be tempted to check the NICE guidelines. You might find that it has to be the doctor who does the transfer. 

Like you I would be concerned that they are short staff so they are using nurses as a replacement. 

I guess you need to ask yourself how are you going to feel if the cycle is bfn? I would forever ruminate whether it was the transfer that caused it. Hence you should only do what you are feeling comfortable with. 

Regards

Sasha

Xx


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## stupidmonkey (Sep 15, 2013)

I doubt a clinic is using nurses because they are short of doctors. The drive to have more nurse led clinics is a combination of advancement in nursing practice and money saving tactics. IVF clinics particularly those in the UK are very ethically driven and I do not feel they would tarnish themselves by using unskilled workers simply because they are short staffed.

I personally would let a skilled senior nurse do the transfer and as someone else said previously nurses are usually made to jump through hoops to prove they can do something whereas all a doctor needs is to say he/she is a doctor and that they feel confident to do it.  You also will find that the further doctors go up the chain of command the less skilled they are at physical tasks because they are seen to be above that. Its personal choice but give me an experienced nurse over most doctors anytime.

At he end of the day ET is not rocket science but its just whatever you are comfortable with.


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## Chemgirl (Aug 10, 2014)

Thank you both, I've decided to see what they say on thurs when I get my phone call to confirm the time on Friday. I will ask the questions like prior transfers etc. and the reason for this. 

Unfortunately i cant see any NICE guidelines on this so assume nurses can do them judging by the responses.

What a dilemma!

Beckalouise, oo made me laugh!


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## stupidmonkey (Sep 15, 2013)

You will not find any where in the NICE guidelines that it has to be a doctor. As for NICE all they are are guidelines and recommendations, nothing they actually say has to be adhered too, mores the pity...


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## Chemgirl (Aug 10, 2014)

The nurse was great and ET went very smoothly. It was actually nice having it done by a female, I felt she was more gentle and allowed me lay down afterwards. Thinking about it, the procedure is actually very similar to a smear test and how many of them get done by GPs?

I felt comfortable with my decision to stick with the nurse, regardless of the outcome. Let the 2ww begin!


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## beckalouise (Aug 29, 2010)

Really glad you had a good experience, wishing you lots of luck x


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