2ND-STAGE POSITIONING IN NURSE-MIDWIFERY PRACTICES - PART 1 - POSITION USE AND PREFERENCES

A national survey of 800 certified nurse-midwives (CNMs) in active cli nical practice was conducted from April through June 1994. The purpose of the survey was to study the extent to which eight operationally de fined positions were used by CNM-attended women during the second stag e of labor and factors that affected their use. This, the first of a t wo-part article, describes the positions used as well as the CNMs' pre ferences for the eight second-stage positions. The most frequently use d second-stage position was sitting; the lithotomy position was rarely used by the CNMs. The survey findings reflect the preferences of birt hing women. (C) 1998 by the American College of Nurse-Midwives.