Unit 2 - Class Activities Flashcards
The nurse is caring for a postpartum client who delivered vaginally 4 hours ago and has not voided since delivery: feeling has returned to her perineal area, and she has ambulated to the bathroom and attempted to void twice. She has ice on her edematous perineum. Her uterus is 3 fingerbreadths above the umbilicus, to the right of midline and firm only with massage. What would be the priority nursing actions?
A. Evaluate the client with a bladder scan
B. Insert a Foley catheter
C. Medicate the client with a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID)
D. Massage the fundus until it is firm and perform a one-time catherization on the client
D. Massage the fundus until it is firm and perform a one-time catherization on the client
*Uterine massage enables immediate contractions of the uterus to prevent bleeding. In and out catheterization relieves the bladder distention, eliminates displacement, firms the uterus and prevents uterine bleeding.
While performing a complete assessment of a term neonate, which of the following findings would alert the nurse to notify the pediatrician?
A. Red reflect in the eyes
B. Expiratory grunt
C. Respiratory rate of 45 breaths/minute
D. Prominent xiphoid process.
B. Expiratory grunt
*An expiratory grunt is significant and should be reported promptly, because it may indicate respiratory distress and the need for further intervention such as oxygen or resuscitation efforts
HTN + protein in urine =
preeclampsia
HTN + protein in urine + seizures =
eclampsia
HELLP
LIFE THREATENING TO MOTHER/FETUS
hemolysis
elevated liver ezymes
low platelet count
- Occurs between 28-36 weeks gestation BUT my occur postpartum in up to 30% of cases.
- Reported S/Sx’s
- Headache
- Nausea/vomiting/indigestion with pain after eating/Abdominal or chest tenderness and upper right upper side pain (from liver distention)
- Shoulder pain or pain when breathing deeply
- Bleeding/ Changes in vision/ Swelling
- Platelet infusion should only be given in patients with severely low platelet counts, those with significant bleeding or with very extremely low platelet counts and may require caesarean delivery.
- Right upper quadrant ultrasound may show hepatic infarction or subscapular hematoma but has no role in acute management of the patient.
- Most infant death occurs due to abruption of the placenta / placental failure
A 27 yr old female 30 weeks pregnant presents to her MD for routine follow-up : Bp 150/105 Hg. She was previously normotensive. Urinalysis reveals 1+ proteinuria. Serum uric acid level is 5.0mg/dl. Platelet count and liver function tests are normal. 24hr Urine collection shows 1.1g. of protein Which of the following does this patient most likely have? A. Chronic hypertension B. Gestational Hypertension C. Normal Blood pressure for pregnancy D. Pre-eclampsia
D. Pre-eclampsia
A. Chronic hypertension/ present prior to PG
B. Gestational Hypertension/ No proteinuria and resolves within 12 weeks postpartum
C. Normal Blood pressure for pregnancy/ Way too high
38 year old woman who is 36 weeks pg presents with HTN since age 34 with requires antihypertensive drugs. Prior to PG her BP was 130/70. During her first trimester: BP 120/60 and has risen in recent weeks to 150/95. She is complaining of worsening lower extremity edema. 24 hour urine shows 1500 mg of protein. Lab values for lytes, liver function tests platelet count are normal.What is the patients diagnosis?
A. Chronic essential hypertension
B. Eclampsia
C. HELLP syndrome
D. Preeclampsia
D. Preeclampsia
36 week PG woman presents complaining of mid-epigastric tenderness, nausea and vomiting. She looks unwell. Her BP is 146/100, lab test show normal renal function, low platelet count, AST level of 80 IU/L ( elevated liver enzymes, and hemolysis with a microangiopathic blood smear. She is diagnosed with HELLP . Which of the following is the most important initial therapeutic intervention for this patient?
A. Bedrest until fetal reaches 40 weeks
B. Immediate delivery
C. Platelet infusion to prevent bleeding
D. Right upper quadrant ultrasound
B. Immediate delivery
- Platelet infusion should only be given in patients with severely low platelet counts, those with significant bleeding or with very extremely low platelet counts and may require caesarean delivery.
- Right upper quadrant ultrasound may show hepatic infarction of subscapular hematoma but has no role in acute management of the patient.
- Most infant death occurs due to abruption of the placenta / placental failure
A prim parous client who is bottle feeding her neonate at 12 hours after birth asks the nurse, “When will my menstrual cycle return? Which of the following responses by the nurse would be most appropriate?
A.“Your menstrual cycle will return in 3 to 4 weeks.”
B.“It will probably be 6 to 10 weeks before it starts again.”
C.“You can expect your menses to start in 12 to 14 weeks.”
D.“Your menses will return in 16 to 18 weeks.”
B.“It will probably be 6 to 10 weeks before it starts again.”
*For clients who are bottle feeding the menstrual flow should return in 6-10 weeks after a rise in the production of follicle-stimulating hormone by the pituitary gland. Non lactating mothers rarely ovulate before 4 to 6 weeks post partum. Therefore, 3-4 weeks is too early for the menstrual cycle to resume. In Breast feeding women the menstrual flow may not return for 3-4 months or in some women for the entire period of lactation because ovulation is suppressed
A client is in the first hour of her recovery after a vaginal deliver. During an assessment, the lochia is moderate, bright red and is trickling from the vagina. The nurse locates the fundus at the umbilicus: it is firm and midline with no palpable bladder. The client vital signs remain at their baseline. Based on this information, the nurse would implement which of the following actions?
A. Increase the I.V. rate
B. Recheck the admission hematocrit and hemoglobin levels
C. Report the finding to the health care provider.
D. Document the findings as normal
C. Report the finding to the health care provider.
*At any point in the postpartum period, the lochia should be dark in color, rather than bright red. The volume should NOT BE be great enough to trickle or run from the vagina. Because the fundus is firm ,midline at the umbilicus (expected findings) this indicates that the bleeding is not coming form the uterus or from uterine atony. ( most likely …cervical or vaginal laceration) The nurse cannot stop this type of bleeding so must notify the health care provider
When developing the plan of care for a prim parous client during the first 12 hours after vaginal delivery, which of the following concerns of the client should be the nurse’s primary focus of care?
A. The neonate
B. The family
C. The client’s own comfort
D. The client’s significant other
C. The client’s own comfort
*The first 12 hours after delivery are part of the taking in phase of maternal postpartum adjustment. Which typically last from 1 to 3 days. During the taking in phase the client is primarily concerned with her own needs. After the first 1 to 3 days postpartum the client is in the taking hold phase and can focus more on the needs of the neonate. Although, the family is an important unity of care and the significant other is important for the mother’s emotional support, during the taking in phase the mother is focused on herself
Two hours after vaginally delivering a viable male neonate under epidural anesthesia, the client with a midline episiotomy ambulates to the bathroom to void. After voiding, the nurse assesses the clients bladder, finding it distended. The nurse interprets this finding based on the understanding that the clients bladder distention is most likely caused by which of the following?
A. Prolonged first stage of labor
B. Urinary tract infection
C. Pressure of the uterus on the bladder
D. Edema in the lower urinary tract area
D. Edema in the lower urinary tract area
A. A prolonged first stage of labor can contribute to exhaustion and uterine atony not urinary retention.
*Urinary retention soon after delivery is usually caused by edema and trauma of the lower urinary tract: this commonly results in difficulty with initiating voiding. Hyperemia of the bladder mucousa also commonly occurs. The combination predisposes to decreased sensation to void, over distention of the bladder, and incomplete bladder emptying. A prolonged first stage of labor can contribute to exhaustion and uterine atony not urinary retention.
At which of the following locations would the nurse expect to palpate the fundus of a prim parous client 12 hrs. after delivery of a neonate?
A. Halfway between the umbilicus and the symphysis pubis
B. At the level of the umbilicus
C. Just below the level of the umbilicus
D. Above the level of the umbilicus
B. At the level of the umbilicus
*Within 12 hours postpartum, the fundus should be palpated at the level of the umbilicus. The fundus after birth may be part way down and then rise to level or above and then settle to umbilicus level. After the first 12 hours the fundus should decrease one fingerbreadth (1cm) Per day in size. By the ninth or tenth day, the fundus usually is no longer palpable
A client delivered vaginally two hours ago and has a third-degree laceration. There is ice in place on her perineum. However, her perineum is slightly edematous and the client is complaining of pain rated 6 on a scale of 1 to 10. Which nursing intervention would be the most appropriate at this time?
A. Begin sitz baths
B. Administer pain medication per order
C. Replace ice packs to the perineum
D. Initiate anesthetic sprays to the perineum
B. Administer pain medication per order
A. Sitz bath are initiated at the conclusion of ice therapy.
C. Replace ice packs to the perineum/Ice has already been initiated and will prevent further edema to the rectal sphincter and perineum and continue to reduce some of the pain.
D. D.Initiate anesthetic sprays to the perineum /Anesthetic sprays can also be used but would not lower the pain to a level that the client considers tolerable.
*Pain medication is the first strategy to initiate at this pain level. When trauma has occurred to any area, the usual intervention is ice for the first 24 hours and heat after 24 hours. Sitz bath are initiated at the conclusion of ice therapy. Try Tylenol ( acetaminophen ) or Ibuprofen before opioids
While the nurse is preparing to assist the primparous client to the bathroom to void 6 hours after a vaginal delivery under epidural anesthesia, the client says that she feels dizzy when sitting up on the side of the bed. The nurse explains that this is most likely caused by which of the following.
A. Effects of the anesthetic during labor.
B. Hemorrhage during the delivery process
C. Effects of analgesics used during labor
D. Decreased blood volume in the vascular system
D. Decreased blood volume in the vascular system
A. By 6 hours postpartum the effects of the anesthesia should be worn off completely. Typically the effects of the epidural anesthesia wear off by 1 to 2 hours postpartum and the effects of local anesthesia disappear by 1 hour.
*The clients dizziness is most likely caused by orthostatic hypotension secondary to the decreased volume of blood in the vascular system resulting from the physiologic changes occurring in the mother after delivery. The client is experiencing dizziness because not enough blood volume is available to perfuse the brain. The nurse should first allow the client to “dangle” on the side of the bed for a few minute before attempting to ambulate/ By 6 hours postpartum the effects of the anesthesia should be worn off completely. Typically the effects of the epidural anesthesia wear off by 1 to 2 hours postpartum and the effects of local anesthesia disappear by 1 hour.
