The nurse's role in misoprostol induction: a proposed protocol

Abstract

The use of misoprostol (PGE 1) for induction of labor has been studied in the United States since 1993. The current medical literature contains studies of this non-FDA-approved indication for misoprostol. The data reveal that misoprostol is as effective or more effective in inducing labor as are oxytocin and prostaglandin E2 (PGE 2), with less cost. Nurses need to understand the physiology of prostaglandins and management of misoprostol in labor. Nurses often must assess the safety of mother and fetus during a misoprostol induction without a protocol based on research findings. This article presents a sample protocol.