The nurse's role during oxytocin administration

This article addresses the importance of the nursing role in the management of oxytocin during induction/augmentation of labor. It is nurses at the bedside of laboring women who make oxytocin titration decisions based on their nursing assessments. Those decisions must be based on a sound knowledge of the pharmacologic properties of oxytocin, the physiology of uterine contractions, and the response of the woman and fetus to contractions. In addition, nurses must be aware of the standards and guidelines of care that govern their actions during induction/augmentation.