Check the Blood Pressure!: An Educational Tool for Anesthesiology Trainees Converting Epidural Labor Analgesia to Cesarean Delivery Anesthesia

A A Pract. 2020 Apr;14(6):e01174. doi: 10.1213/XAA.0000000000001174.

Abstract

Recognition and treatment of maternal hypotension during epidural anesthesia administration for intrapartum cesarean delivery preserves maternal-fetal perfusion. A case that required quality assurance review uncovered lapses in maternal hemodynamic monitoring during the transition to intrapartum cesarean delivery anesthesia. To address this, a practice outline was designed for trainee's education describing intrapartum epidural dosing for cesarean delivery and adequate blood pressure monitoring. The time-lapse between epidural dosing and subsequent blood pressure was evaluated before and after the introduction of our educational tool. The time-lapse between blood pressure measures decreased to <10 minutes (10.78-13.92 vs 8.8-9.76 minutes).

MeSH terms

  • Analgesia, Epidural*
  • Anesthesia, Epidural*
  • Anesthesiology*
  • Blood Pressure
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Labor, Obstetric*
  • Pregnancy