Hydrotherapy as a Nursing Intervention for Labour Pain

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.