A comparison of the intramuscular and intravenous routes for administration of meperidine to nulliparous and multiparous labouring women
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Date
2000-03-01T00:00:00Z
Authors
Mussell, Susan Marie
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Abstract
The use of Meperidine is an accepted method of pain relief for labouring women. The intramuscular and intravenous routes are the most common routes used by a local tertiary care centre. The criteria for choosing the route to give the drug is not well established. This research was based on theories proposed by McCaffery and Melzack and Wall that described a belief in what the patient says their pain experience is and which provided a distinct physiological explanation. Utilizing a mechanical visual analogue scale, 169 nulliparous and multiparous labouring women were asked to identify their perception of pain intensity after a random assignment to one of two treatment p otocols. One of the protocols was for the drug administration and one was for placebo administration. Neither the patient nor researcher knew the actual route of drug administration. The four hypotheses were tested using repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA). Parametric 't'-tests for independent samples were done to test for differences between the nulliparous and multiparous groups. Chi-square tests were carried out on categorical data. (Abstract shortened by UMI.)