00:01
Today, we're going to talk about how to manage comfort in labor.
00:05
This is a very important topic as it encompasses all the things that the nurse
and the birthing person must do before and during labor
to help make labor a little more comfortable.
00:17
When we consider factors that affect the perception of pain of the birthing person,
there's several things to actually consider.
00:25
The first one would be the stage of labor.
00:28
As the birthing person progresses through labor and the cervix dilates more and more,
pain levels may actually be increased.
00:35
We also want to make sure that we have a good understanding of what the birthing person
and all the support people understand about the labor process.
00:44
The more preparation they've had, the more likely they are to understand
what's going on in the labor room and have decreased anxiety,
and therefore, a decreased perception of pain.
00:55
Now, we must include cultural beliefs but I also want to make very clear
that when we talk about cultural beliefs,
we don't want to stereotype anyone by any sort of racial group or religious group
or anything along those lines.
01:10
When we say cultural beliefs, we want to ask each individual person
what their beliefs are, everyone has a culture.
01:17
So, we want to make sure we know exactly what sort of practices
and rituals that that person typically would engage in
when they're going through their labor experience.
01:27
We also know through research that having a support person
with you while you are laboring can actually decrease your perception of pain
and improve your satisfaction about the birth process.
01:39
So, we want to really assess and talk to the client about who their support person might be.
01:45
Maybe who they want to be there and maybe who they don't want to be there.
01:50
Also being tired. Now, let's think about this. This one's pretty logical.
01:54
When you're studying for an exam
and then, you perhaps finish studying for that exam and you're really tired.
02:00
You've taken your test and then, someone comes up to you
and asks you a simple question and you just bite their head off. Right?
Because you're tired. So, imagine laboring after hours and hours and hours
that you can see that your perception of pain might be a little more sensitive
than someone who's well-rested. So, fatigue can definitely play a factor.
02:22
Another factor that could affect the birthing person's perception
of pain is their previous experience.
02:28
So, let's imagine that during a previous birth, it was a positive,
uplifting, supportive, encouraging situation
versus perhaps a previous experience where pain was not managed well
or someone experienced a lot of fear.
02:42
That might affect how they feel coming into this labor situation.
02:47
All of that contributes to a sense of anxiety.
02:51
Someone who is at an increased sense or state of anxiety
is going to perceive a greater amount of pain than someone who is calmer and relaxed.
03:00
So, the nurse really needs to think about what this person's triggers for anxiety might be
or if they're already experiencing anxiety.
03:07
And then, finally, and this is where we're going to spend quite a bit of time today
is how the labor is managed.
03:14
So, thinking about if this client comes in and they're unmedicated
and they don't receive any Oxytocin to stimulate labor contractions.
03:23
Then, that may be a slightly different situation than someone who comes in who has Oxytocin,
who is being induced, who has been in the hospital for two or three days.
03:33
That absolutely could affect someone's perception of pain.
The lecture Factors Affecting Pain Perception: Introduction (Nursing) by Jacquelyn McMillian-Bohler, PhD, CNM is from the course Comfort and Pain Management During Labor and Delivery (Nursing).
Which of the following factors impact pain perception in a client in labor? Select all that apply.
A client comes into the hospital with active contractions screaming in pain, while another client down the hall is managing active contractions well and with ease. Which of the following factors explain why these clients are experiencing pain differently? Select all that apply.
5 Stars |
|
5 |
4 Stars |
|
0 |
3 Stars |
|
0 |
2 Stars |
|
0 |
1 Star |
|
0 |