Maternity Heartbeat Monitor Related

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The nurse is caring for a pregnant patient who is 30 weeks gestation and reports feeling faint and lightheaded. What is the most appropriate action for the nurse to take?

  • A. Instruct the patient to lie on her back to improve circulation.
  • B. Encourage the patient to take deep breaths and sit down immediately.
  • C. Instruct the patient to stand up slowly and rest for 10 minutes.
  • D. Ask the patient to eat something sweet to raise her blood sugar.
Correct Answer: B

Rationale: The correct answer is B: Encourage the patient to take deep breaths and sit down immediately. This action is appropriate because the patient is experiencing symptoms of hypotension, which can lead to decreased blood flow to the brain causing faintness and lightheadedness. By encouraging the patient to take deep breaths and sit down immediately, the nurse is helping to increase oxygen intake and improve circulation, which can alleviate the symptoms.

Explanation for why the other choices are incorrect:
A: Instructing the patient to lie on her back can actually worsen symptoms as it can lead to a decrease in blood flow to the brain.
C: Instructing the patient to stand up slowly is not appropriate as the patient is already feeling faint and lightheaded. This can increase the risk of falling and injury.
D: Asking the patient to eat something sweet may not address the underlying cause of the symptoms, which is likely related to hypotension. It is important to address the immediate