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The use of a standardized approach to oxytocin administration empowers the bedside nurse to use critical thinking in the decision-making process for oxytocin administration. As sole administrator of the oxytocin and the checklists, the nurse avoids potential conflicts with the provider over the rate of infusion. Replicated research demonstrates how the use of protocol-driven checklists resulted in lower amounts of oxytocin being used without significantly increasing cesarean rates or length of delivery times. There was also a significant decrease in the number of non-intervened uterine tachysystole events which means that fewer fetuses were subjected to decreased fetal oxygenation, and possible compromise. Adopting this standardized approach towards oxytocin administration is an important first step in establishing a Labor and Delivery unit as a high reliability perinatal unit.