A New Way to Assess Pain in Laboring Women: Replacing the Rating Scale With a “Coping” Algorithm

The Coping With Labor Algorithm: An Alternate Pain Assessment Tool for the Laboring Woman

“…The goal in developing a new labor pain assessment standard was to find an assessment process that would allow care providers to recognize the uniqueness of the laboring woman's experience and acknowledge the intensely personal nature of labor pain. 18 In reviewing the literature on pain, it was decided that ''coping'' was a more apt descriptor than pain level. Beutler and Moos 19 describe coping as a complex and multidimensional phenomenon, having cognitive, behavioral, and emotional qualities.…”

Obstetrician and Nurse–Midwife Collaboration

“…Nurses use a coping rather than pain scale, and analgesics are not routinely offered without maternal request and informed consent. 41 Registered nurses organized and oversee a volunteer doula service to provide continuous labor support free of charge for women who request the service, whereas other women employ a private doula or decline support beyond that offered by their labor nurse and delivering provider. Comfort during labor is facilitated in a variety of additional ways.…”

A qualitative analysis of parturients’ experiences using nitrous oxide for labor analgesia: It is not just about pain relief

“…Women who reported low or intermediate analgesic effectiveness cited benefits of partial analgesia sufficient to enhance their ability to cope with labor pain. The latter may be more important than complete elimination of pain per se . A 2015 review of qualitative research exploring women's perspectives on coping with childbirth pain suggests that a positive outlook and acceptance of pain during childbirth significantly enhances a woman's ability to cope with labor .…”