A nurse is caring for a client who is experiencing preterm labor at 29 weeks of gestation and has a prescription for betamethasone. Which of the following statements should the nurse make about the indication for medication administration?

The correct answer is D.

A. Slowing the client's rate of breathing is not directly related to the observed uniform decelerations. The primary concern is the fetal heart rate pattern.

B. Decreasing the rate of infusion of the maintenance IV solution is not the appropriate intervention for addressing the observed fetal heart rate decelerations. The focus should be on the oxytocin infusion rate.

C. Increasing the rate of infusion of the IV oxytocin is not the appropriate action.

The patient is already experiencing frequent and strong contractions, and increasing the oxytocin rate can exacerbate the decelerations and compromise fetal well-being.

D. Discontinuing the infusion of the IV oxytocin is the correct action.

The observed uniform decelerations are likely related to oxytocin-induced hyperstimulation of the uterus. Stopping or decreasing the oxytocin infusion allows for the uterine activity to decrease, potentially improving fetal heart rate patterns.

The correct answer is d.

A. Informing the client that the anesthetic effect will last for approximately 6 hours is not the nurse's responsibility. The anesthesia provider usually communicates this information to the client.

B. Administering a 500 mL bolus of 5% dextrose in water prior to induction is the correct action.

Although preloading with a 500–1,000 mL bolus of isotonic crystalloid (e.g., Lactated Ringer’s) is recommended to mitigate hypotension, dextrose‑containing solutions (like D5W) are not used for this preload.

C. Having the client stand at the bedside with her arms at her side is not necessary for the administration of epidural analgesia. The client is usually positioned sitting up or lying on her side during the procedure.

D. Before initiating epidural analgesia, you must establish a baseline fetal heart rate and uterine contraction pattern with at least 20–30 minutes of continuous EFM to ensure fetal well‑being and detect any decelerations or atypical patterns.