Discontinuing Mag Sulfate

nursejohio, ASN, RN · Apr 1, 2008

I don't do postpartum, but for the pp moms we keep in PICU we just turn it off. The docs keep her on our unit for 12-24 hours, then she goes to the regular pp floor for a day before being sent hom

RNLaborNurse4U · Apr 1, 2008

Our PP unit doesn't take patients on magnesium, so they stay on L&D while on mag after delivery. We don't wean the mag, just simply shut it off when it's ordered to be d/c'd - usually around 24 hrs after delivery. Their IV gets capped off, and we give report to PP. They usually stay on PP for 2-3 days then, depending on vag vs c/s delivery.

chrisl&drn · Apr 1, 2008

We have all LDRP's, so they all stay on the floor, but they get slowly weaned off. I think most of the docs go down 1 GM/hr or two, while watching their pressures to make sure they can come off the mag.

LDRNMOMMY, BSN, RN · Apr 1, 2008

Our PP unit doesn't take patients on magnesium, so they stay on L&D while on mag after delivery. We don't wean the mag, just simply shut it off when it's ordered to be d/c'd - usually around 24 hrs after delivery. Their IV gets capped off, and we give report to PP. They usually stay on PP for 2-3 days then, depending on vag vs c/s delivery.

That is pretty much what was done where I worked. Once Mag was d/c'd we'd hold the pt for an hr for observation then call PP for report.

Canadian_Nurse · Apr 1, 2008

Our PP unit doesn't take patients on magnesium, so they stay on L&D while on mag after delivery. We don't wean the mag, just simply shut it off when it's ordered to be d/c'd - usually around 24 hrs after delivery. Their IV gets capped off, and we give report to PP. They usually stay on PP for 2-3 days then, depending on vag vs c/s delivery.

This is what we usually do in my L&D, keep them for an hour or two after mag shut off, then transfer to PP.

Elvish, BSN, DNP, RN, NP · Apr 1, 2008

L/D keeps our patients for 1-2hrs after d/cing the mag to watch them as well, then turns them over to us.

LizzyL&DRN · Apr 1, 2008

We have all LDRP's, so they all stay on the floor, but they get slowly weaned off. I think most of the docs go down 1 GM/hr or two, while watching their pressures to make sure they can come off the mag.

I'm wondering why they wean them off and "watch their pressures?" Mag doesn't lower BP hardly at all. Do they ever have to increase the mag once they've started weaning them?

Baby Catcher, CNM · Apr 1, 2008

This is how I prescribe mag post partum. If the mom had severe preeclampsia I order it for 24 hours PP. If it was mild then 12 hours PP. The nurse just turns it off, no need to wean.

nurturing_angel · Apr 2, 2008

Thank you all for your kind replies. I am still researching but the consensus seems to be don't wean. Here I am, making myself sick with worry over nothing. :selfbonk:

:saint:

RNLaborNurse4U · Apr 4, 2008

No need to wean off of the mag, once BP's and labs are starting to resolve - because the labs/bp's are indicating that the preeclampsia is resolving and getting better.

Shut off the mag, cap the IV, give report to PP, and transfer. No need to putz around. If they do worsen again, while on PP, either bp's go up again, or labs worsen, then they may end up coming back to us on L&D to restart the mag. But the majority of PP mag patients do fine, and end up being d/c'd to home in 2-3 days.

HappyNurse2005, RN · Apr 5, 2008

Our PP unit doesn't take patients on magnesium, so they stay on L&D while on mag after delivery. We don't wean the mag, just simply shut it off when it's ordered to be d/c'd - usually around 24 hrs after delivery. Their IV gets capped off, and we give report to PP. They usually stay on PP for 2-3 days then, depending on vag vs c/s delivery.

yeah, that too, for us.