A nurse is caring for a client who is in the latent phase of labor and reports severe back pain.
The vaginal examination reveals that the cervix is dilated 2 cm, 25% effaced, and -2 station.
Which of the following interventions should the nurse implement?

Maintain sterile objects within the line of vision.

• A. Hold hands folded below the waist after donning sterile gloves. This is incorrect because holding hands below the waist can contaminate the gloves with microorganisms from the floor or clothing.
• B. Pick up and pour solutions with the palm of the hand covering bottle labels. This is incorrect because covering bottle labels can obscure important information such as expiration dates or ingredients.
• C. Keep sterile items within a 1.3 cm (0.5 in) border of the sterile drape. This is incorrect because the border of the sterile drape is considered contaminated and any sterile item that touches it becomes contaminated as well.
• D. Maintain sterile objects within the line of vision. This is correct because keeping an eye on sterile objects ensures that they are not accidentally touched by nonsterile items or persons.

Choice A rationale:

Measuring the amount of time the child can hear the sound is not the correct action when performing Weber's test. Weber's test is used to assess hearing acuity and lateralization. In this test, a vibrating tuning fork is placed in the middle of the patient's forehead, and the patient is asked if the sound is heard equally in both ears or if it is louder in one ear. This helps identify whether there is a conductive or sensorineural hearing loss. The duration of hearing the sound is not relevant to this test.

Choice B rationale:

Obtaining a tympanogram reading is not necessary before initiating Weber's test. Tympanometry assesses the movement of the eardrum in response to changes in air pressure and can help diagnose conditions like middle ear effusion or eustachian tube dysfunction. However, Weber's test focuses on lateralization of sound and does not require tympanogram readings.

Choice C rationale:

Placing a vibrating tuning fork on the top of the child's head is the correct action for performing Weber's test. By doing so, the nurse can assess whether the sound is perceived equally in both ears or if it is lateralized to one ear. If the sound is lateralized, it can provide valuable information about the type of hearing loss the child may have, whether it's conductive or sensorineural.

Choice D rationale:

Holding a vibrating tuning fork 1 to 2 cm (0.4 to 0.8 in) from the child's ears is not the correct technique for Weber's test. Placing the tuning fork directly on the patient's forehead is essential for accurate assessment. Holding it close to the ears can lead to misinterpretation of the test results.