Nokea
A patient in active labor is experiencing hypotension after receiving an epidural block. What is the nurse's first action?
- A. Administer a fluid bolus as prescribed.
- B. Elevate the patient's legs.
- C. Place the patient in a side-lying position.
- D. Notify the anesthesiologist immediately.
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The correct answer is C. Placing the patient in a side-lying position is the first action because it helps to improve venous return, cardiac output, and blood pressure by increasing blood flow to the heart and brain. This can help alleviate hypotension associated with epidural block. Elevating the legs (choice B) may not be as effective in improving blood flow in this situation. Administering a fluid bolus (choice A) may be necessary but should not be the initial action. Notifying the anesthesiologist (choice D) is important, but addressing the patient's immediate physiological needs should come first.
You may also like to solve these questions
The nurse is preparing to administer a vaginal prostaglandin preparation to ripen the cervix of her patient. With which patient should the nurse question the use of vaginal prostaglandin as a cervical ripening agent?
- A. The patient who has a Bishop's score of 5
- B. The patient who is at 42 weeks of gestation
- C. The patient who had a previous low transverse cesarean birth
- D. The patient who had previous surgery in the upper uterus
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: The correct answer is D because a patient with previous surgery in the upper uterus is at risk for uterine rupture with prostaglandin use. Previous surgery in the upper uterus may weaken the uterine wall, increasing the risk of complications such as uterine rupture during cervical ripening.
A: Bishop's score of 5 indicates a moderate readiness for induction, making vaginal prostaglandin appropriate.
B: 42 weeks of gestation is considered post-term, where cervical ripening is often needed.
C: Previous low transverse cesarean birth is not a contraindication for prostaglandin use for cervical ripening.
The laboring person is using hypnosis for comfort measures. How can the nurse support the person?
- A. Talk them through the contractions.
- B. Keep the lights on so that everyone can see.
- C. Keep the room quiet and dimly lit.
- D. During the contraction, ask them to rate the pain.
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The correct answer is C because keeping the room quiet and dimly lit promotes relaxation and helps the person stay focused during hypnosis. Bright lights and noise can be distracting and increase stress levels. Talking them through contractions (Choice A) may disrupt their concentration on hypnosis. Asking them to rate pain during contractions (Choice D) can also be disruptive and may increase anxiety.
What nursing intervention can be performed prior to epidural placement to potentially reduce a blood pressure drop?
- A. routine use of ephedrine
- B. IV fluid bolus
- C. insertion of indwelling urinary catheter
- D. upright positioning of the laboring person
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The correct answer is B: IV fluid bolus. Prior to epidural placement, administering an IV fluid bolus can help prevent a drop in blood pressure by increasing preload and maintaining cardiac output. This helps offset the vasodilation effects of the epidural anesthesia. Options A, C, and D are incorrect. Ephedrine (A) is not routinely used before epidural placement due to its potential adverse effects. Insertion of a urinary catheter (C) is not directly related to preventing a blood pressure drop. Upright positioning (D) may actually worsen hypotension by pooling blood in the lower extremities.
A woman who is gravida 3, para 2 enters the intrapartum unit. The most important nursing assessments include
- A. contraction pattern, amount of discomfort, and pregnancy history.
- B. fetal heart rate, maternal vital signs, and the woman's nearness to birth.
- C. last food intake, when labor began, and cultural practices the couple desires.
- D. identification of ruptured membranes, the woman's gravida and para, and access to a support person.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The correct answer is B because fetal heart rate, maternal vital signs, and the woman's nearness to birth are crucial assessments in the intrapartum period. Fetal heart rate indicates fetal well-being, maternal vital signs reflect maternal status, and assessing the nearness to birth helps in determining the stage of labor and necessary interventions.
A is incorrect because while contraction pattern and discomfort are important, pregnancy history is not as immediate a concern in the intrapartum period.
C is incorrect as last food intake and cultural practices are not the most critical assessments during labor.
D is incorrect because while identification of ruptured membranes is important, the woman's gravida and para are less immediate concerns compared to fetal heart rate and maternal vital signs.
The nurse thoroughly dries the infant immediately after birth primarily to
- A. reduce heat loss from evaporation.
- B. stimulate crying and lung expansion.
- C. increase blood supply to the hands and feet.
- D. remove maternal blood from the skin surfac
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The correct answer is A because drying the infant helps reduce heat loss through evaporation, preventing hypothermia. Wet skin can lead to rapid heat loss. This is critical for newborns who are at risk of temperature instability.
Choice B is incorrect because drying the infant is not primarily done to stimulate crying and lung expansion. Choice C is incorrect because drying does not increase blood supply to the hands and feet. Choice D is incorrect because maternal blood is typically cleared from the infant's skin through other means, not primarily by drying.