A nurse is caring for a client who is 12 hr postpartum and has a fourth-degree laceration of the perineum. Which of the following actions should the nurse take?

Choice A rationale:

Newborn weight of 2.948 kg (6 lb 8 oz) does not place the client at risk for postpartum hemorrhage. Newborn weight is not directly related to the risk of postpartum hemorrhage in the mother.

Choice B rationale:

History of uterine atony places the client at risk for postpartum hemorrhage. Uterine atony is the most common cause of postpartum hemorrhage and refers to the inability of the uterus to contract effectively after childbirth, leading to excessive bleeding.

Choice C rationale:

Labor induction with oxytocin places the client at risk for postpartum hemorrhage. Oxytocin is commonly used to induce labor or augment contractions, but it can cause uterine hyperstimulation, leading to increased risk of postpartum hemorrhage.

Choice D rationale:

History of human papillomavirus (HPV) does not place the client at risk for postpartum hemorrhage. HPV is a sexually transmitted infection and does not have a direct connection to the risk of postpartum hemorrhage.

Choice E rationale:

Vacuum-assisted delivery places the client at risk for postpartum hemorrhage. Vacuum assisted delivery involves using a vacuum device to assist in the baby's delivery, and it can cause trauma to the birth canal, leading to increased bleeding risk in the mother.

The correct answer is Choice C.

Choice A rationale: Thiazide diuretics cause potassium and chloride loss, leading to metabolic alkalosis, not respiratory alkalosis. Hypokalemia decreases hydrogen ion excretion, increasing bicarbonate levels. Metabolic alkalosis is characterized by pH >7.45 and HCO₃⁻ >26 mEq/L rather than decreased PaCO₂.

Choice B rationale: Vomiting leads to metabolic alkalosis due to gastric acid loss. Hydrogen ion depletion increases bicarbonate concentration, shifting pH above normal. Arterial blood gases typically show increased HCO₃⁻ (>26 mEq/L) with a compensatory increase in PaCO₂ (>45 mmHg), not respiratory alkalosis.

Choice C rationale: Salicylate intoxication initially induces hyperventilation, reducing PaCO₂ levels below 35 mmHg and increasing pH above 7.45, leading to respiratory alkalosis. As toxicity progresses, metabolic acidosis may develop due to lactic acid accumulation, but early stages primarily present with respiratory alkalosis.

Choice D rationale: Hypoventilation leads to CO₂ retention, increasing PaCO₂ above 45 mmHg, forming carbonic acid (H₂CO₃) and causing respiratory acidosis. Blood gases show pH <7.35 with elevated PaCO₂, not respiratory alkalosis, which is caused by excessive CO₂ elimination through hyperventilation.