A nurse on a labor unit is admitting a client who reports painful contractions. The nurse determines that the contractions have a duration of 1 minute and a frequency of 3 minutes. The nurse obtains the following vital signs: fetal heart rate 130/min, maternal heart rate 128/min, and maternal blood pressure 92/54 mm Hg. Which of the following is the priority action for the nurse to take?
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The correct answer is B: Position the client with one hip elevated. This is the priority action because the client's contractions are frequent and of significant duration, indicating active labor. Elevating one hip can help improve fetal oxygenation and blood flow during contractions. It can also help optimize fetal positioning for a smoother labor process.
Choice A: Notifying the provider is important but not the priority at this moment. The nurse should first address immediate client needs.
Choice C: Asking about pain medication is important, but managing the client's positioning for labor progress takes precedence.
Choice D: Having the client void is a routine step in labor management but is not the priority action in this scenario.