If the nurse suspects a patient has experienced anaphylactoid syndrome of pregnancy (amniotic fluid embolus), which of the following is the priority nursing intervention?

A. Stay with the patient and call for help. The priority during a seizure is to ensure the patient’s safety and call for immediate assistance. The nurse should stay with the patient, protect her from injury, and note the seizure’s duration and characteristics. After the seizure ends, further interventions can be implemented.

B. Suction the mouth to prevent aspiration. Suctioning should only be performed after the seizure ends. Attempting to suction during an active seizure increases the risk of injury and airway obstruction.

C. Insert an oral airway. Inserting an oral airway during an active seizure is unsafe and contraindicated because it may cause trauma to the mouth or airway. An airway can be inserted after the seizure stops if necessary.

D. Administer oxygen by tight face mask. While oxygen is important, it should be provided after the seizure subsides and the airway is assessed. The primary focus during the seizure is safety, preventing injury, and calling for emergency assistance.

A. Tell the client to take a warm shower, rest, and call back tomorrow. While rest and hydration can sometimes help with mild discomfort, this client’s symptoms—pelvic pressure, low back pain, abdominal pain, and increased vaginal discharge—are concerning for preterm labor and require immediate evaluation. Delaying care could increase the risk of preterm birth.

B. Schedule an appointment for the client at the clinic tomorrow. Waiting until the next day is not appropriate, as preterm labor is an urgent condition that needs immediate assessment to prevent premature birth. Prompt intervention may allow for tocolytic therapy or steroid administration to improve fetal lung maturity if preterm birth is imminent.

C. Instruct the client to drink cranberry juice and call if she experiences a fever. Cranberry juice is sometimes used to prevent urinary tract infections (UTIs), but this client’s symptoms are more indicative of preterm labor rather than an infection. Fever is not a defining symptom of preterm labor, and delaying care could result in complications.

D. Instruct the client to go to labor triage at the hospital for evaluation. This is the best response because the symptoms suggest possible preterm labor. Evaluation in the hospital can include cervical checks, fetal monitoring, and tests such as fetal fibronectin (fFN) to assess the risk of preterm birth. Immediate intervention can help delay labor and improve neonatal outcomes.