Objective: To evaluate the provision of procedural sedation during abortion by expert nurses and to describe the factors that are associated with time to discharge for women who receive this sedation.
Design: Retrospective chart review.
Methods: Descriptive statistics were generated to describe a retrospective cohort of women presenting for abortion under procedural sedation. Analysis of variance was used to determine significant characteristics that influenced time to discharge.
Setting: A single clinical site that employs seven expert nurses.
Participants: A total of 194 medical records were available for this analysis.
Results: All women were discharged home with accompaniment, and no incidents of respiratory distress or other adverse complications occurred. Most women (n = 136) received at least 150 μg fentanyl and 3 mg midazolam, and 71% of women in the first trimester and 83% of women in the second trimester entered the recovery area with no pain. Variables significantly associated with time spent in the recovery area were gestational age at time of abortion (t = -2.68, p = .008), pain at entry to recovery area (t = -0.254, p = .008), and pain at 15 minutes (t = 0.25, p = .038).
Conclusion: Expert nurses can administer procedural sedation for pain control associated with abortion and are capable of monitoring women and helping them return to baseline status after the procedure.
Keywords: abortion; procedural sedation; time to discharge.
Copyright © 2017 AWHONN, the Association of Women's Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.