The use of epidural analgesia in postoperative vascular surgical patients.

Patients undergoing vascular surgical procedures can be higher risk patients. The goal is to provide the best pain management modality with the fewest significant side effects. Nurses can make a critical difference in the successful use of epidural analgesia by understanding how it works, monitoring for and treating side effects and complications that may occur, providing patient education, monitoring pain control and assuring patient safety. Overall, epidural analgesia does provide excellent analgesia and has many benefits for the vascular surgical patient.