At 14-weeks gestation, a client arrives at the Emergency Center complaining of a dull pain in the right lower quadrant of her abdomen. The LPN/LVN obtains a blood sample and initiates an IV. Thirty minutes after admission, the client reports feeling a sharp abdominal pain and shoulder pain. Assessment findings include diaphoresis, a heart rate of 120 beats/minute, and a blood pressure of 86/48. Which action should the nurse implement next?
- A. Check the hematocrit results.
- B. Administer pain medication.
- C. Increase the rate of IV fluids.
- D. Monitor the client for contractions.
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The client's symptoms suggest hypovolemic shock, possibly due to an ectopic pregnancy. Increasing IV fluids is crucial to stabilize the client by improving blood pressure and perfusion. This intervention helps address the underlying issue of hypovolemia and supports the client's hemodynamic status, which takes priority in this emergent situation.
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A multiparous client is involuntarily pushing while being wheeled into the labor triage area. The nurse observes the fetal head presenting at the perineum. Which action should the nurse take?
- A. Support the infant as it emerges.
- B. Review prenatal laboratory results.
- C. Obtain fetal heart tones.
- D. Apply suprapubic pressure.
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Failed to generate a rationale of 500+ characters after 5 retries.
A male infant with a 2-day history of fever and diarrhea is brought to the clinic by his mother, who tells the nurse that the child refuses to drink anything. The nurse determines that the child has a weak cry with no tears. Which intervention is most important to implement?
- A. Provide a bottle of electrolyte solution.
- B. Infuse normal saline intravenously.
- C. Administer an antipyretic rectally.
- D. Apply an external cooling blanket.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Infusing normal saline intravenously is crucial to treat dehydration caused by fever and diarrhea. In this scenario, the infant's weak cry with no tears indicates severe dehydration, necessitating rapid fluid replacement via intravenous normal saline to restore fluid balance and prevent complications.
The nurse is assessing a newborn who was precipitously delivered at 38 weeks' gestation. The newborn is tremulous, tachycardic, and hypertensive. Which assessment action is most important for the nurse to take?
- A. Perform a gestational age assessment.
- B. Obtain a drug screen for cocaine.
- C. Determine reactivity of neonatal reflexes.
- D. Weigh and measure the newborn.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The correct answer is to obtain a drug screen for cocaine. Tremulousness, tachycardia, and hypertension in a newborn can be signs of neonatal abstinence syndrome, often caused by maternal drug use, such as cocaine. Identifying maternal drug use is crucial for appropriate management and treatment of the newborn.
An off-duty healthcare professional finds a woman in a supermarket parking lot delivering an infant while her husband is screaming for someone to help his wife. Which intervention has the highest priority?
- A. Use a sterile item to tie off the umbilical cord.
- B. Provide privacy for the woman.
- C. Reassure the husband and try to keep him calm.
- D. Put the newborn to breast.
Correct Answer: D
Rationale: Putting the newborn to breast is the highest priority intervention in this scenario. It helps stimulate uterine contractions in the mother, which aids in controlling postpartum bleeding. Additionally, placing the newborn to breast promotes bonding between the mother and infant, provides comfort to the baby, and facilitates the initiation of breastfeeding. Ensuring the well-being of both the mother and the newborn is essential in this critical situation.
A mother who is breastfeeding her baby receives instructions from the nurse. Which instruction is most effective to prevent nipple soreness?
- A. Wear a cotton bra.
- B. Increase nursing time gradually.
- C. Correctly place the infant on the breast.
- D. Manually express a small amount of milk before nursing.
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The most effective instruction to prevent nipple soreness when breastfeeding is to correctly place the infant on the breast. Proper latch-on techniques ensure that the baby is properly positioned, reducing the risk of nipple soreness. When the baby is positioned correctly, they can nurse effectively without causing discomfort to the mother.