A nurse is caring for a client who has been in labor for 12 hours with intact membranes. The nurse performs a vaginal examination to ensure which of the following prior to the performance of the amniotomy?

The correct answer is D.

A. Maintain the client NPO throughout the procedure: It is not necessary to maintain the client NPO (nothing by mouth) for a nonstress test. The test primarily involves monitoring fetal heart rate in response to the baby's movements and does not require fasting.

B. Place the client in a supine position: Placing the client in a left lateral position is often preferred for NST to optimize uterine blood flow and fetal oxygenation. The supine position can compromise blood flow to the uterus and is generally avoided, especially in later pregnancy.

C. Instruct the client to massage the abdomen to stimulate fetal movement: While the goal of the NST is to monitor fetal movements, instructing the client to actively stimulate fetal movement through abdominal massage is not a standard part of the procedure. Fetal movements should occur naturally.

D. Instruct the client to press the provided button each time fetal movement is detected: This is the correct action. During a nonstress test, the client is typically provided with a button to press whenever she feels fetal movement. This helps correlate fetal movements with changes in the fetal heart rate on the monitor, providing valuable information about the baby's well-being.