Research Paper on "Use of Epidural Anesthesia in Labor"

Research Paper 3 pages (1144 words) Sources: 3

[EXCERPT] . . . .

Epidural Anesthesia…

Use of Epidural Anesthesia in labor

"Epidural Anesthesia: Restrictions and Unintended Medical Intervention with Use"

"Epidural Anesthesia: Restrictions and Unintended Medical Intervention with Use"

The utilization of epidural anesthesia during labor has increased exponentially over the last 30 years. The practice offers individuals increased comfort and reduced pain during delivery and is a very popular option for women and for the doctors and nurses who aide in their deliveries. "In the United States, epidural anesthesia has become the most commonly employed tool to manage the pain of labor. Indeed, 71% of a representative sample of women in America who used pain medication during their vaginal birth labors reported having had an epidural" (De Sevo, M. & Semeraro, 2010, p. 11). Epidural anesthesia is recommended to nearly every pregnant woman, impending delivery unless such treatment is primarily contraindicated by some other medical condition. For many the use of epidural anesthesia is a medical breakthrough that allows women to almost completely avoid the pain of labor with very limited risk to herself or the child. While conversely there is much evidence that epidural anesthesia has a long list of potential and real complications that once administered require additional medical intervention and seriously impede movement outside the short list of passive positioning sitting, semi-sitting and side lying in bed.

Unintended Medical Intervention and Restrictions Correlate to Epidural Anesthesia

Optimal positioning or walking during labor may be limited fo

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r many reasons associated with epidural anesthesia, which is associated with increased use of IV oxytocin, poor fetal progression and rotation down the birth canal, prolonged late stage labor, lower apgar scores for baby and increased use of continual fetal heart rate monitoring, continual urinary catheterization and increased use of mechanical labor interventions such as vacuum suction and forceps, (De Sevo, M. & Semeraro, 2010, p. 11) (Stremler, Halpern, Weston, Yee & Hodnett, 2009, pp. 391-392). Nursing and cultural expectations also play a role in limiting movement during labor "….because of caregiver reluctance to allow women to ambulate, because some women prefer to labor in bed… and because cultural expectation may be to lie in bed for labor (Stremler, Halpern, Weston, Yee & Hodnett, 2009, p. 391).

More and more research as well as anecdotal knowledge of the increased use of epidural anesthesia has surrounded the fact that the practice often creates unintended side effects and may limit the ability of the laboring woman to achieve optimal labor, i.e. smooth labor and delivery, with positioning comfort being offered as well as limited fetal disturbances due to the limitation of the laboring woman to both reposition, to achieve a better progression of delivery, avoid catheterization and most importantly avoid medical and mechanical intervention. Many of these unintended consequences have been over time directly related to the use of epidural anesthesia. This is not to exclude a short but important list of far more serious side effects associated with epidural anesthesia including short or long-term femoral neuropathy (Peirce, O'brien & O'Herlihy, 2010, pp. 203-204), infection and contamination at the site or in the spinal fluid (Welliver, Welliver, Carrol, & James, 2010, p. 197), potential risk of severe "spinal" headache and the previous list of potential labor complications already discussed.

Several researchers also discuss the issue from the nursing perspective, associating the expectations of nurses and the ease of nursing care associated with epidural anesthesia as well as some of the measures that accompany it as mandatory, such as… READ MORE

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Quoted Instructions for "Use of Epidural Anesthesia in Labor" Assignment:

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a. Type in size 12 font and double-space

b. Include a separate title page and a separate reference page.

c. The paper will be a scholarly project, including introductory and summary paragraphs.

d. A page number and the running head are required to be on each page.

e. Internal references in the body of the paper are required failure to include internal references will mean an automatic zero.

5. The paper has a minimal use of direct quotations from sources. As a college junior, you should be able to read scholarly information, and restate it in your own words. The use of numerous and/or lengthy quotations will result in a lowering of your grade.

6. Appropriate selection and use of references meeting the following criteria:

a. All references should be current e.g. within the last 5 years.

b. All references must be from professional nursing or public health journalsï¿½*****"NOT medical journals. (See list of suggested journals at end of this document.)

c. Only one reference may be a Worldwide Web site. Sources taken from Web Sites must be accompanied by a completed Evaluation Form (at end of this document).

d. Do not use Wikipedia, a dictionary or your textbook as part of your references. Your textbook is not an appropriate reference for a scholarly paper.

e. Refer to the list of suggested journals. When possible, it is preferred that you select journals published in the United States. (If you are having trouble finding appropriate sources contact your instructor.)

4. Provide information related to both sides of the issue, along with his/her personal position

5. Correctly cite all sources using APA Style

1. Sign up for a topic on the designated form.

2. Write this paper as a *****˜Debate-style***** paper with a minimum of 2 sources. (See General Instructions for N 380 Papers to guide you in your article selection.) The sources should contain information on both the *****˜pro***** and *****˜con***** side of the issue.

3. Prepare a word processed paper of a maximum of 4 pages (body) summarizing both sides of the controversial issue along with your person position.

Suggested Journals

1. Journal of Midwifery and Women*****s Health

2. Journal of Obstetric, Gynecologic, and Neonatal Nursing: JOGNN.

3. Birth: Issues in Perinatal Care.

4. Journal of Perinatal & Neonatal Nursing

5. MCN, The American Journal of Maternal Child Nursing.

6. Women*****'s Health Issues

7. Nursing for Women*****s Health (formerly called AWHONN Lifelines)

8. Alternative Therapies in Health and Medicine

9. Holistic Nursing Practice

10. International Journal of Nursing Practice

11. Journal of Advanced Nursing

12. Nursing Clinics of North America

13. Journal of Family Nursing

my personal opinion is to use epidurals...

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[1] ”Use of Epidural Anesthesia in Labor”, A1-TermPaper.com, 2011. [Online]. Available: https://www.a1-termpaper.com/topics/essay/epidural-anesthesia-8230-use/63982. [Accessed: 5-Oct-2024].

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1. Use of Epidural Anesthesia in Labor. A1-TermPaper.com. https://www.a1-termpaper.com/topics/essay/epidural-anesthesia-8230-use/63982. Published 2011. Accessed October 5, 2024.

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