Maternal Monitoring During Labor Related

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A patient in labor is at 6 cm dilation and requests an epidural. What is the most appropriate response from the nurse?

  • A. You need to be at least 8 cm dilated for an epidural.
  • B. You can have the epidural now since you are in active labor.
  • C. The epidural can be administered after the second stage of labor.
  • D. An epidural is only administered during the latent phase of labor.
Correct Answer: B

Rationale: The correct answer is B: "You can have the epidural now since you are in active labor." At 6cm dilation, the patient is typically considered to be in active labor, making it an appropriate time to offer an epidural for pain relief. Administering the epidural at this stage can help manage the pain effectively and provide relief during the remainder of labor. Other choices are incorrect because waiting until 8cm dilation (Choice A) may cause unnecessary suffering, administering after the second stage (Choice C) is too late for pain relief, and giving it during the latent phase (Choice D) is not ideal as the patient may not be in active labor yet.