Maternity Heartbeat Monitor Related

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A nurse is preparing a laboring person for an epidural. What is the priority nursing intervention before the procedure?

  • A. ensure informed consent
  • B. check for allergies to anesthesia
  • C. assess for fetal movement
  • D. administer pain relief
Correct Answer: C

Rationale: The correct answer is C: assess for fetal movement. This is the priority intervention before an epidural to ensure the safety and well-being of the fetus. Assessing for fetal movement helps determine the fetal well-being and any potential distress that may require immediate intervention. Ensuring informed consent (A) is important but assessing fetal well-being takes precedence. Checking for allergies to anesthesia (B) is important but not the priority before assessing fetal movement. Administering pain relief (D) can be done after assessing fetal movement to ensure the safety of both the laboring person and the fetus.