A patient is in the immediate postpartum period after having delivered 9 pound. 14-ounce baby (4480 grams). iS 6. The patient is gravida 6, para 5. The nurse notices some new blood stains on the top sheets and discovers the patient lying in a pool of blood. The fundus is located above the umbilicus and is boggy. The bladder is not palpable. What would be the nurse's priority action?
Massage the fundus
Take the patient's blood pressure
Start an IV
Have the patient empty her bladder
The Correct Answer is A
A) Massage the fundus:
The first priority in this situation is to massage the fundus to help control potential postpartum hemorrhage caused by uterine atony. A boggy fundus (soft and not firm) suggests that the uterus is not contracting effectively, which can lead to excessive bleeding. Massaging the fundus stimulates uterine contractions, which can help reduce bleeding by compressing the blood vessels that were supplying the placenta. The nurse should begin with this intervention immediately to address the most likely cause of the bleeding.
B) Take the patient's blood pressure:
While vital signs such as blood pressure are important for assessing shock or ongoing hemorrhage, massaging the fundus takes priority in this scenario to directly address the cause of the bleeding. Taking the blood pressure is not the most immediate intervention for this specific situation because the primary issue here is uterine atony, not hemodynamic instability (although it will need to be assessed shortly thereafter).
C) Start an IV:
Starting an IV may be important if there is significant blood loss, but it is not the first priority in this scenario. The nurse should first focus on stabilizing the uterus by massaging the fundus. IV access will become more critical if the bleeding is not controlled after the fundus is massaged and other interventions are required.
D) Have the patient empty her bladder:
While a full bladder can sometimes displace the uterus and cause it to be less effective at contracting, this is a secondary concern. The first priority is to address the uterine atony by massaging the fundus. Once the fundus is firm and bleeding is under control, the nurse can then consider having the patient empty her bladder to ensure it isn't interfering with the uterus' ability to contract.
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Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams
Related Questions
Correct Answer is A
Explanation
A. Mother Rh-, baby Rh+:
Rh immune globulin (RhoGAM) is given to Rh-negative mothers after childbirth if the baby is Rh-positive. This is to prevent the mother from developing antibodies against Rh-positive blood cells, which could affect future pregnancies. If the mother’s immune system recognizes Rh-positive cells as foreign, it may start producing antibodies that can cross the placenta and harm future Rh-positive fetuses, potentially leading to hemolytic disease of the newborn. Administering RhoGAM prevents this sensitization from occurring.
B. Mother Rh-, baby Rh-:
If the mother is Rh-negative and the baby is also Rh-negative, there is no risk of Rh incompatibility. Since there is no Rh-positive blood in the mix, the mother will not develop antibodies against Rh-positive cells. Therefore, Rh immune globulin is not needed in this situation.
C. Mother Rh+, baby Rh+:
If the mother is Rh-positive, there is no risk of Rh incompatibility regardless of the baby’s Rh status. Rh-positive mothers do not produce antibodies against Rh-positive blood cells, so RhoGAM is unnecessary in this scenario.
D. Mother Rh+, baby Rh-:
Again, since the mother is Rh-positive, there is no risk of sensitization, even if the baby is Rh-negative. In this situation, the mother's immune system will not generate antibodies against Rh-negative blood cells, and RhoGAM is not needed.
Correct Answer is A
Explanation
A) The vaccine is a live virus and may cause birth defects in the fetus:
The Rubella vaccine is a live attenuated virus, which means it contains a weakened form of the virus. Although this vaccine is safe for most adults, it can cause serious birth defects if a woman becomes pregnant within a 4-week period after receiving the vaccine. The live virus could potentially affect the developing fetus, causing congenital rubella syndrome (CRS), which can result in severe birth defects like heart defects, deafness, and cataracts. To prevent any risk to a future pregnancy, women are advised to wait at least 4 weeks after
vaccination before trying to conceive.
B) Tests to determine if the client developed immunity are not accurate for a month:
This is not accurate. While some tests for rubella immunity can be done soon after vaccination, the primary reason for delaying pregnancy is the live virus in the vaccine, not a delay in testing. The immune response to the vaccine typically develops within a few weeks, but the risk to a fetus comes from the live virus, not the testing process. The 4-week delay is to ensure that the virus has been cleared from the body before pregnancy is attempted.
C) She may have the virus and feel too sick to tolerate a pregnancy:
While the Rubella vaccine can cause mild side effects like fever, it does not typically cause significant illness that would prevent a woman from tolerating a pregnancy. The primary concern is the safety of the fetus, not the mother's symptoms, as any illness is generally mild and transient. The 4-week delay is to prevent potential harm to a fetus due to the live virus present in the vaccine.
D) Her body is not ready to nurture another pregnancy so quickly:
This rationale is not based on any medical guideline. There is no evidence to suggest that the body needs time to "recover" from the Rubella vaccine before becoming pregnant. The reason for the 4-week delay is to ensure that the live virus has been cleared from the body to avoid any risk to a potential pregnancy. The concern is not about the woman's ability to support another pregnancy, but about the potential for the live vaccine virus to harm a developing fetus.
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