A nurse in an emergency department is caring for a child who reports being sexually abused by a family member. Which of the following actions should the nurse take?

A.The client should be positioned on the unaffected side after the procedure, not the affected side.
B.The client is usually seated upright and leaning forward during a thoracentesis, not placed in the prone position.
C.Correct. Instructing the client to avoid coughing during the procedure is important to prevent accidental puncture of the lung.
D.Thoracentesis does not typically require NPO status, as it is not a procedure involving the gastrointestinal tract.

Choice A rationale:

Oxytocin is not typically administered during a nonstress test. Oxytocin is a hormone that induces or augments labor contractions; it is not used in nonstress testing, which monitors fetal heart rate and movement. The administration of oxytocin during nonstress testing would not be appropriate or necessary.

Choice B rationale:

Fasting is not required for a nonstress test. Nonstress testing involves attaching electronic fetal monitors to the mother's abdomen to measure the baby's heart rate and movement. It does not require the patient to abstain from eating or drinking. Imposing unnecessary restrictions on the client's diet could cause discomfort and anxiety, which is not conducive to an accurate assessment.

Choice C rationale:

Nonstress testing is used to evaluate the baby's heart rate response to its own movements. It does not diagnose genetic problems. Genetic testing, such as amniocentesis or chorionic villus sampling, is a different type of test used to detect genetic abnormalities in the fetus. Therefore, this statement does not reflect an understanding of the purpose of nonstress testing.

Choice D rationale:

This is the correct answer. Nonstress testing involves monitoring the baby's heart rate and movement. During the test, the mother pushes a button when she feels the baby move. This allows the healthcare provider to correlate fetal movements with changes in the baby's heart rate. An understanding of this process indicates that the client comprehends the purpose and procedure of the nonstress test.