Pain Medicine NewsNew AANA Obstetric Guidelines Prioritize Addressing Gaps in Health Equity

Dive into the essence of AANA’s updated guidelines for obstetric anesthesia and analgesia as we spotlight its focus on health equity and safety in maternal care.

Commencing with the unveiling of the revised practice guidelines for obstetric anesthesia and analgesia, the American Association of Nurse Anesthesiology (AANA) has emphasized enhancing patient care and safety. Interestingly, these updates also strive to tackle the critical issue of enduring health disparities in the United States.

The AANA firmly believes in the power of certified registered nurse anesthetists (CRNAs) to help curb maternal mortality rates. The primary strategy focuses on mitigating racial and ethnic imbalances in pregnancy-related deaths. Beth Ann Clayton, DNP, CRNA, FAANA, FAAN, the key subject matter expert behind the revisions, underscores these inequalities as significant barriers to optimal maternal care.

Using an evidence-based process, the AANA revised the guidelines, paying careful attention to current research. They’ve prioritized enhancing the readability of the content, updating the quality of references, and broadening their scope to encompass the most recent recommendations on obstetric analgesia and anesthesia care.

The notable alterations include the broadening of analgesia and anesthesia considerations for labor and delivery. This expansion encompasses inhalation analgesia, neuraxial analgesia, general anesthesia, and an updated multimodal pain management approach.

Moreover, the guidelines have updated information on benzodiazepine usage during pregnancy and oxytocin management. Expanded sections now tackle parturient diagnoses of platelet dysfunction, hypotension, and the management of hypertensive disorders.

Despite their comprehensive nature, the AANA highlights that these guidelines don’t constitute governmental regulations, accreditation standards, or institutional policy. Instead, they should be considered reference points for devising each patient’s distinctive treatment plan.

Lastly, Clayton emphasizes the importance of healthcare professionals staying abreast with the latest updates in obstetric analgesia and anesthesia practices. This includes keeping an eye on updates in federal, state, and local statutes, as well as nationally recognized obstetric care practices, guidelines, and scientific literature.