Abstract
This literature review provides a brief history of hydrotherapy during labour, a summary of the existing literature, and implications for practice. The objective of the literature review is to explore the evidence regarding the safety and efficacy of hydrotherapy as a method to alleviate labour pain during the first stage of labour. A comprehensive review of the literature was conducted in August 2016 using CINAHL, ProQuest, and MedLine databases. Keywords used were: hydrotherapy, water immersion, intrapartum, labour and/or nurse with truncation and Boolean methods. The inclusion criteria for the search were: articles available in English, accessible electronically, peer-reviewed, and with year restrictions of 2005-2016. The search yielded one practice guideline, four recommendations from regulatory colleges, three systematic reviews, and five single studies. The author concludes that hydrotherapy for low risk parturients is a safe and effective method of pain control that empowers nurses and promotes positive patient outcomes.
Highlights
Labour pain is unique in that it is of limited duration and part of a normal physiological process where the pain is a result of both somatic and visceral phenomena (Gibson, 2014)
Several regulatory colleges support the use of hydrotherapy during labour; no practice recommendations for Canadian nurses were found nor is the prevalence of hydrotherapy use known across Canada
The committee concluded that water immersion during the first stage of labour may be associated with shorter labour and decreased use of spinal and epidural analgesia
Summary
Labour pain is unique in that it is of limited duration and part of a normal physiological process where the pain is a result of both somatic and visceral phenomena (Gibson, 2014). Many women continue to choose to give birth in hospitals; nursing care that supports effective pain management is vital to the success of the birthing experience. Hydrotherapy during the first stage of labour is an evidence-based practice that should be promoted and implemented to support women who labour in hospitals as it empowers nurses and is beneficial to the woman and neonate (Cluett & Burns, 2012). For the purposes of this review, hydrotherapy is an intervention applied during the first stage of labour using a tub or shower. This literature review only focuses on hydrotherapy as a nursing intervention as water births are not within the nursing scope of practice (Regulated Health Professions Act, 1991)
Sign-in/Register to view highlights & summary 
Published Version (
Free)
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a call