title: [Impact on the implementation of patient controlled epidural analgesia for pain management during labor. A survey in a university hospital in Chile].
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Analgesia for labor is a legal obligation in Chile. In our institution we implemented patient controlled analgesia for pain relief during labor. We describe the perception of the several professionals involved in the medical care of patients in labor in terms of effectiveness, usefulness, satisfaction, and safety.
  
  
  METHODS
  A self-reported questionnaire was given to the professionals involved, and the obstetrical and neonatal outcomes were recorded along with the workload indices. Twenty-five structured questions were presented with a Likert type score to evaluate analgesia quality, workload of professionals involved, adverse effects, patient satisfaction, and healthcare workers satisfaction. Finally, a question was asked about the overall perception.
  
  
  RESULTS
  We found that the overall perception of the analgesic technique was (mean) 6.0 (SD) (0.88). A decrease in the anesthesiologist workload was observed, without affecting obstetric outcomes.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Considering the study design limitations, absence of knowledge of economical impact, and the satisfaction level of patients under standard epidural analgesia, we recommend the patient controlled analgesia technique due to its good obstetric outcomes, general satisfaction and workload decrease.
authors.affiliation: Facultad de Medicina, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Santiago, Chile. lacassie@med.puc.cl
authors.forename: H J
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Lacassie
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Ferdinand
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Moreno
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Montaña
mesh_terms: D015360:Analgesia, Epidural; D016362:Analgesia, Obstetrical; D016058:Analgesia, Patient-Controlled; D002677:Chile; D005260:Female; D006785:Hospitals, University; D006801:Humans; D048949:Labor Pain / Q000188:drug therapy*; D059408:Pain Management / Q000379:methods*; D011247:Pregnancy; D011795:Surveys and Questionnaires