Minimum monitoring in labour ward

Measure the blood pressure every 5 minutes for 20-30 minutes after establishing the block and after every bolus. Ensure labouring patients are never supine. Inferior vena caval compression and sympathetic blocks are a bad combination.

The CTG should be continuously monitored. This is usually the responsibility of the midwife.

Assessment of the epidural effectiveness is usually easy. If the room is quiet you have been successful. Assess intermittently for lower limb motor block. If present, you should turn down your epidural infusion rate.