HESI RN Exit Exam 2023 Related

Review HESI RN Exit Exam 2023 related questions and content

A client with gestational diabetes, at 39 weeks of gestation, is in the second stage of labor. After delivering the fetal head, the nurse recognizes that shoulder dystocia is occurring. What intervention should the nurse implement first?

  • A. Prepare the client for an emergency cesarean birth
  • B. Encourage the client to move to a hands-and-knees position
  • C. Assist the client to sharply flex her thighs up against the abdomen
  • D. Lower the head of the bed and apply suprapubic pressure
Correct Answer: C

Rationale: In cases of shoulder dystocia, the priority intervention is to assist the client in sharply flexing her thighs up against the abdomen (McRoberts maneuver). This action helps to widen the pelvic outlet. Encouraging the client to move to a hands-and-knees position may also be beneficial in some cases but is not the first-line intervention. Preparing for an emergency cesarean birth and applying suprapubic pressure are not appropriate initial interventions for shoulder dystocia.