LOW DOSE PITOCIN INDUCTION,do you use it ? how does it work for you?

[mark_LD_RN]

does anyone do low dose pit inductions? we use it often they bring patient in a 5 pm we start pit a 1mu go up 1mu every 30 minutes stop at 2 or 4 mu depending on doc.do this all nightthen at 5 am start regular pitocin induction.

what do you think about it? does it work for YOU?

[SmilingBluEyes]

WELCOME to you sleepy! We look forward to "seeing" more of you soon!

[SpaztikjohnsRN]

Some of the doctors I work with like us to use low dose pitocin. Mostly, it's a means of satisfying a patient who desperately wants to be induced, and the doctor doesn't want to come in to deliver in the middle of the night. So we give them 1 mU every hour or so. Some of the docs will even tell us to stop at 2 mU and let them hang out. I've had patients do really well though with lower doses of pit. My opinion is that pitocin works whether "low" or regular dose when the cervix is ripe (FYI: regular pitocin here for inductions is 1-2 mU every 30 min., but I've also worked places that do 2 mU every 20 min). You can throw a bomb on a cervix that's not ripe, and it's not gonna budge.

[ldcmw1]

the docs where i work like what they call aggressive protocal. we start pit at 2 and then go up by 4 every 15 minutes. need order to go over 40mu. the problem i have is the orders state to increase until labor pattern established -- 5 contractions in 10 min. however i have been yelled at several times by doc when i stop increasing. example sunday pt was up to 14 and i was not incraesing because ctx every 1-2 min. not getting the 60 sec rest and starting lates. however doc mad called house supervisor and then called my manager stated pt should have already been to 40 units and only at 14 etc. so who do you think always gets in trouble? the nurse.

Stick to your guns you are at the bedside. Pt was in good pattern so who cares how many mu of pitocin the patient is on!!! Have him read Cervical Ripening and Induction of Labor written By AWHONN. It is a wonderful article and it states that 90% of women should deliver on 6 mu of pitocin. I know how hard it is to be patronized by MD's!!! Remember who is most important your patient and baby!!! You did nothing wrong beside provide safe care!!!!!!

[Conejita, BSN]

We mostly have one MD who uses the low-dose pit method but she always orders it along with the foley bulb induction method. It doesn't work every time but I have seen it work pretty well on an unfavorable cervix. The pt. doesn't sleep as well through the night though since we are in the room all the time (q 30min) making sure the foley is still pulled tight with traction on the leg.

[ldcmw1]

How about suggesting the cook catheter to the MD if you guys supply it on your unit.

[SmilingBluEyes]

Please note: this original post was made in 2002.