Epidurals
An epidural is usually placed when the cervix is dilated this amount.
What is 3–5 cm?
This space receives spinal anesthesia medication.
What is the subarachnoid space?
These medications commonly cross the placenta.
What are narcotic analgesics?
These patients may fatigue quickly during labor.
Who are morbidly obese patients?
This assessment is priority after epidural placement.
What is blood pressure?
This IV fluid is commonly started before epidural placement.
What is Ringer’s lactate?
This complication may occur after spinal anesthesia.
What is spinal headache?
This medication reverses opioid respiratory depression.
What is Narcan (naloxone)?
This substance increases risk for placental abruption.
What is cocaine?
This should be monitored continuously during regional anesthesia.
What is fetal heart rate?
This is the MOST common complication after epidural placement.
What is hypotension?
This vasopressor may be used for severe hypotension.
What is epinephrine?
These medications should ideally be given more than this many hours before birth.
What is 3 hours?
These infants are often small for gestational age due to smoking.
What are infants exposed to tobacco?
Patients with epidurals should void at least every this many hours.
What is every 2 hours?
This position improves placental perfusion after epidural placement.
What is left lateral position?
This nursing intervention helps prevent spinal headache.
What is hydration/lying flat?
This gas is commonly used for labor pain relief in Europe.*Elliot Hospital
What is nitrous oxide?
This is MOST important when caring for culturally diverse laboring patients.
What is respecting cultural beliefs/preferences?
This is the nurse’s priority intervention for supine hypotension.
What is turning the patient to the left side?
This finding after epidural requires immediate provider notification.
What is severe/unrelenting abdominal pain?
This vertebral level is commonly used for spinal anesthesia.
What is L3–L4?
This is the priority concern with narcotic administration near birth.
What is neonatal respiratory depression?
This newborn withdrawal assessment approach is often used for substance exposure.
What is Eat, Sleep, Console (ESC)?
This is the MOST dangerous time after home birth.
What is following placental delivery?