Educational intervention for obstetrical nurses: introducing intravenous fentanyl to the labour floor

To determine the efficacy of an educational intervention in changing nurses' satisfaction and comfort with and their knowledge and use of a newly introduced analgesic agent, fentanyl, to manage pain during labour.

A written survey was completed by 19 labour and delivery nurses before and after the educational intervention in a small Northern Canadian city.

Prior to the educational intervention, respondents rated their knowledge of and comfort with use of morphine and meperidine as significantly greater than their knowledge of and comfort with use of fentanyl (P<0.001 for all comparisons). Following the educational intervention, their knowledge and comfort with use of fentanyl increased to the same level as their knowledge and comfort with use of morphine and meperidine. Knowledge of and comfort with use of morphine and meperidine did not change after the educational intervention, but with use of fentanyl there was a significant increase in both knowledge (P<0.001) and comfort (P<0.001). Use of fentanyl subsequently increased significantly (P=0.016) and the nurses identified fewer barriers to its use. Satisfaction with (and self-reported use of) fentanyl also increased (P=0.001).

Participation in education regarding fentanyl increased nurses' knowledge of and comfort and satisfaction with this agent. It also contributed to an increase in the use of this agent, which has been documented to be safer than other narcotics for both mother and baby.