Opioid Analgesics in Pregnancy
Included In This Lesson
Study Tools For Opioid Analgesics in Pregnancy
Outline
Overview
- Opioids are given for moderate to severe pain
- They will not provide the same relief as an epidural
- They are typically given IV in labor and fast-acting
- Given PO in the postpartum period to treat pain
Nursing Points
General
- Ideal to be given when needed for breakthrough/acute pain during labor, not chronically throughout pregnancy
- Newborn can be born addicted→ refer to addicted newborn lesson
- History taking is essential before administration to make sure they haven’t been taking them during pregnancy
- Some meds are contraindicated if someone is already dependent on specific meds, as they may elicit withdrawal symptoms for both baby and mom
Assessment
- Patient history
- Pain level
- How close is the patient to delivery
Therapeutic Management
- Medicate properly
- Hydromorphone (Dilaudid)
- Morphine
- Butorphanol tartrate (Stadol)
- Nalbuphine (Nubain)
- Oxycodone
- Hydrocodone
- Naloxone available
- Anti nausea medications
- Nausea is a side effect of Opioids
- Monitor for overdose
- Respirations less than 12/min is a concern
- Hypotension
Nursing Concepts
- Pharmacology
- Comfort
- Safety
Patient Education
- Fast acting
- Treatment options
Pharmacology for Nursing (MedMaster)
The Pharmacology Course is a one-stop-shop for all things medication related! We’ll talk you through how to be successful in pharmacology and how to be safe when administering meds. We break down the most common and most important medication classes into easy-to-understand sections. We even walk you through how to conquer the often intimidating med math and drug calculations! When you finish this course you’ll be able to confidently and safely administer medications to your patients!