A nurse is caring for an infant diagnosed with Tetralogy of Fallot. The infant has been feeding poorly and has difficulty gaining weight.

What actions should the nurse plan to take? (Select all that apply.)

Choice A rationale
Uterine atony refers to a soft and weak uterus after childbirth. It happens when your uterine muscles don’t contract enough to clamp the placental blood vessels shut after childbirth. This can lead to life-threatening blood loss after delivery. One of the causes of uterine atony is urinary retention. When the bladder is full, it can displace the uterus, preventing it from contracting properly. This can lead to uterine atony and postpartum hemorrhage. Therefore, urinary retention can cause uterine atony and lateral displacement of the fundus.
Choice B rationale
Poor involution of the uterus is a condition where the uterus does not return to its normal size after childbirth. While poor involution can lead to prolonged bleeding, it does not directly cause uterine atony. Uterine atony is specifically a lack of muscle contraction, while poor involution is a failure of the uterus to reduce in size.
Choice C rationale
While infection can lead to many complications during the postpartum period, it is not a direct cause of uterine atony. Infections can cause endometritis, which is inflammation of the uterine lining, but this does not prevent the uterus from contracting.
Choice D rationale
Hemorrhage, or heavy bleeding, is a result of uterine atony, not a cause. When the uterus does not contract properly after childbirth, it can lead to excessive bleeding, or hemorrhage.

Choice A rationale
Acute rheumatic fever is a complication that can occur after an infection with group A streptococcus, which causes strep throat and sometimes scarlet fever. The most common symptoms of rheumatic fever include fever, painful and tender joints, pain in the chest, fatigue, fast heart rate, palpitations, and multiple-joint inflammation. Therefore, asking if the child has had a sore throat recently is relevant as it could indicate a recent strep throat infection, which is a common precursor to acute rheumatic fever.
Choice B rationale
While injuries can lead to various health complications, they are not directly related to the development of acute rheumatic fever. Acute rheumatic fever is primarily caused by an overreaction of the body’s immune system to a strep throat or scarlet fever infection.
Therefore, recent injuries would not typically be a relevant factor in a suspected case of acute rheumatic fever.
Choice C rationale
Acute rheumatic fever is not a congenital condition, meaning it is not present from birth. It develops as a complication of strep throat or scarlet fever. Therefore, asking if the child was born with a cardiac defect would not typically be relevant in a suspected case of acute rheumatic fever.
Choice D rationale
While aspirin is often used in the treatment of rheumatic fever to reduce inflammation and pain, it is not a cause of the condition. Therefore, asking if the child has been given aspirin in the past 2 weeks would not typically be relevant in a suspected case of acute rheumatic fever.