A nurse is caring for a client who is in active labor and is scheduled to receive epidural anesthesia.
Which of the following actions should the nurse take?
Monitor blood pressure every 30 minutes following epidural placement.
Administer lactated Ringer's 500 mL bolus via intermittent IV infusion prior to epidural placement.
Administer oxygen via nasal cannula at 2 L/min prior to epidural placement.
Reposition the client every hour following epidural placement.
The Correct Answer is B
Choice A rationale
Monitoring blood pressure every 30 minutes following epidural placement is important but not the initial action. Epidural anesthesia can lead to a sudden drop in blood pressure, so
frequent monitoring is crucial. However, the initial step should focus on preventing hypotension.
Choice B rationale
Administering lactated Ringer's 500 mL bolus via intermittent IV infusion prior to epidural placement helps in maintaining blood pressure. Epidural anesthesia can cause vasodilation,
leading to hypotension. Preloading with fluids ensures adequate blood volume and reduces the risk of a significant drop in blood pressure.
Choice C rationale
Administering oxygen via nasal cannula at 2 L/min prior to epidural placement is not necessary unless the client has respiratory complications. Oxygen supplementation is used to
treat or prevent hypoxia, which is not a primary concern in this scenario.
Choice D rationale
Repositioning the client every hour following epidural placement is important to ensure even distribution of the anesthetic and prevent pressure sores. However, this is not the initial
action to take for preventing hypotension.
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View Related questions
Correct Answer is A
Explanation
Choice A rationale
Manifestations of shock might not appear until a client loses 20% of their blood volume. This is because the body compensates for blood loss by increasing heart rate and
vasoconstriction, maintaining blood pressure until a significant amount of blood is lost.
Choice B rationale
Hemorrhagic shock will cause a decrease, not an increase, in a client's serum pH due to the accumulation of lactic acid from anaerobic metabolism, leading to metabolic acidosis.
Choice C rationale
The most accurate indication of organ perfusion is a client's urine output. Adequate urine output reflects sufficient renal blood flow and overall perfusion, making it a reliable indicator
of organ perfusion.
Choice D rationale
An infusion of 1 mL of lactated Ringers for each 1 mL of blood loss is not accurate. The typical fluid replacement ratio is 3:, meaning 3 mL of crystalloid solution (like lactated Ringers) is given for each 1 mL of blood loss to account for fluid distribution in the body.
Correct Answer is ["A","B"]
Explanation
Choice A rationale
Blood pressure should be assessed as opioid analgesics can cause hypotension, which can be detrimental to both mother and fetus during labor.
Choice B rationale
Fetal heart rate monitoring is essential as opioids can cross the placenta and potentially cause fetal bradycardia or distress, thus necessitating close monitoring.
Choice C rationale
Deep tendon reflexes are not commonly affected by opioid analgesics and therefore are not a primary assessment when administering these medications during labor.
Choice D rationale
Blood glucose levels are not typically influenced by opioid analgesics in the context of labor, so this is not a relevant assessment for this scenario.