A nursery nurse is attending the birth of a post-term infant

Exhibits

Fill in each blank in the following sentence.

Upon review of the medical record, the nurse should determine the infant newborn is at risk for developing

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and

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.

Rationale:

A. "You can lift objects that weigh 15 pounds.": Clients recovering from retinal detachment repair should avoid lifting heavy objects, even as light as 15 pounds. Increased intraocular pressure from straining can compromise the surgical repair.

B. "Pick up items by bending at the waist.": Bending at the waist increases intraocular pressure and should be avoided postoperatively. Clients are advised to bend at the knees and keep their head upright to reduce pressure on the eye.

C. "Avoid reading for 3 days following surgery.": Reading is usually restricted only if it causes eye strain or requires eye movement that could interfere with healing. It is not routinely restricted for a set number of days unless otherwise specified by the surgeon.

D. "Take a stool softener daily.": Straining during bowel movements increases intra-abdominal and intraocular pressure. Stool softeners help prevent straining, making them a useful part of postoperative care after eye surgery to protect the surgical site.

Rationale for Correct Choices:

• Evaluating the fetal heart rate tracing: The client’s report of decreased fetal movement and severe hypertension raises concern for fetal compromise. Immediate fetal assessment ensures the fetus is tolerating the intrauterine environment, especially before administering medications like magnesium sulfate.
• Administering magnesium sulfate IV: This is prescribed to prevent eclampsia, given the client’s severely elevated BP, hyperreflexia, and proteinuria. After confirming fetal status, seizure prophylaxis should be initiated without delay.

Rationale for Incorrect Choices:

• Administering acetaminophen PO: Although ordered for headache, the symptom is a manifestation of severe preeclampsia. Treating it symptomatically without addressing its cause could delay necessary critical interventions.
• Obtaining a 24-hour urine collection: Useful for confirming the extent of proteinuria, but not immediately necessary for clinical decision-making given existing positive findings.
• Inserting an indwelling urinary catheter: This supports fluid monitoring during magnesium therapy, but fetal assessment and seizure prevention take precedence.
• Administering betamethasone IM: Important for fetal lung development in preterm pregnancies, but it is not the immediate priority when there is a high risk for seizure or fetal distress.