Epidurals are used as an effective form of pain relief for labour by approximately 25-30% of women during childbirth. Midwives have a responsibility to be educated on the types of epidural, the advantages and disadvantages of their use and the impact they may have on the women who choose them.
This i-learn module on epidural use for labour aims to develop midwives’ knowledge and understanding of epidurals, to improve midwives' confidence in safely caring for women who choose to birth using epidural analgesia, in line with the professional standards of the NMC Code.
On completion of this module you will understand:
- The intended and unintended effects of labour epidural
- What types of epidural are commonly available in the UK and how epidural analgesia works
- When each epidural type is appropriate and the indications and contraindications for their use
- The role of the midwife in safely and effectively caring for the labouring woman before, during and after epidural administration, including informed consent, drug safety and monitoring of both woman and fetus
- The range of epidural effects, from common side effects to major complications and how to identify these and take safe appropriate actions
- The midwife’s role in the wider multidisciplinary team during epidural care
Study time: 1 hour
Original content: 2019