A nurse is caring for a client who has an endotracheal tube (ET) and is on mechanical ventilation. Which of the following actions should the nurse take for a ventilator alarm due to an increase in peak airway pressure? (Select all that apply.)

Rationale:

A. Administer magnesium sulfate to the client: Magnesium sulfate is typically used for neuroprotection before 32 weeks or to manage preeclampsia; it is not indicated for rupture of membranes at 36 weeks unless there are other risk factors.

B. Administer betamethasone to the client: Betamethasone is used to enhance fetal lung maturity, most beneficial before 34 weeks. At 36 weeks, the lungs are usually mature enough that corticosteroids are not routinely indicated.

C. Monitor the client's temperature every 2 hr: This helps detect early signs of chorioamnionitis, a serious infection risk after membrane rupture, especially with prolonged rupture.

D. Monitor fetal heart rate every 4 hr: Fetal heart monitoring should be more frequent in the presence of membrane rupture to promptly identify signs of distress or infection, not every 4 hours.

Rationale for Correct Choices

• Endometritis: This uterine infection is common after cesarean delivery, especially with prolonged rupture of membranes. The client’s uterine tenderness, elevated fundus, boggy consistency, and foul-smelling lochia are hallmark signs of endometritis, making it the most likely diagnosis.
• Uterus and lochia: The presence of a tender uterus that is elevated above the umbilicus and only firms with massage, combined with dark, malodorous lochia, strongly suggests infection of the uterine lining. These findings point specifically to endometritis rather than general postpartum changes.

Rationale for Incorrect Choices

• Mastitis: Although the client reports heavy, warm breasts with nipple discomfort, there is no breast erythema, localized swelling, or high-grade fever typical of mastitis. These symptoms are likely due to engorgement related to lactation rather than infection.
• Pneumonia: The client’s respiratory assessment shows clear lungs with only slight basal changes common postoperatively. There are no signs of cough, sputum production, hypoxia, or respiratory distress, which makes pneumonia an unlikely cause of her symptoms.
• Fever: A temperature of 38.2°C is above normal, but mild postpartum fever can have various causes, including engorgement, dehydration, or early infection. Fever alone is not specific enough to confirm a diagnosis without targeted findings.
• WBC count: Although an elevated WBC of 33,000/mm³ raises concern, postpartum leukocytosis can be physiologic or related to many infections. It is not diagnostic of endometritis without more specific correlating signs like uterine tenderness and abnormal lochia.