Role of the registered nurse in the care of the pregnant woman receiving analgesia and anesthesia by catheter techniques.

Position The Association of Women’s Health, Obstetric and Neonatal Nurses (AWHONN) believes that registered nurses (RNs) who are not licensed anesthesia care providers should monitor but not manage the delivery of analgesia and anesthesia by catheter techniques to pregnant women. These techniques include administration of analgesia and anesthesia via epidural, intrathecal, spinal and patient-controlled epidural analgesia (PCEA) catheters. Further, AWHONN has not identified research or evidence that supports the premise that management of regional labor anesthesia and analgesia by RNs who are not licensed anesthesia providers is a safe practice in the obstetric environment and perinatal population. In order to protect the well-being of the mother and the fetus, there should be a substantial amount of clinical evidence supporting the safety and effects of such a practice before it is implemented.