Exam two class six: postpartum Flashcards
(281 cards)
postpartum period
- after birth; traditionally seen as lasting 6-8 weeks but we are beginning to view this period extending to 12 months after birth.
key points of postpartum period
-Family centered and modeled on the concept of health
-Cultural beliefs and practices affect the birthing person and family
-Nursing care includes assessments to detect deviations from normal, comfort measures to relieve discomfort or pain, and safety measures to prevent injury or infection
common nursing interventions in postpartum period
-Preventing excessive bleeding, bladder distention, and infection
-Providing non-pharmacologic and pharmacologic relief of discomfort associated with afterbirth pain (cramping) episiotomy, lacerations, or breastfeeding
-Instituting measures to promote or suppress lactation
4th stage of labor
- first 4 hours after birth
- Maternal organs start to undergo readjustments to the non-pregnant state
nurses role in 4th stage of labor
-Identify and manage and deviations from normal
-Promote and support parent-infant bonding
-Prevent hemorrhage
-get breast feeding started
Assessments during the 4th stage
- Q 15 min x 4; Q 30 min x 2, Q 1 hr (dependent on institution)
-Vital signs
-Fundus, lochia, perineum, bladder
Focused Postpartum Assessment
General assessment-V.S., pain assessment, etc. +
BUBBBLEE
Breasts
Uterus
Bladder
Bowels
Bleeding
Legs
Episiotomy/laceration/c-section incision
Emotions
Physiological Changes and Assessments: vital signs
-HR: may see mild bradycardia r/t baroreceptor stimulation immediately PP, then returns to prepregnant states by 24-48 hours
-BP: increase days 4-6 then normalizes by 2-6 weeks
-Respirations: normalize within 24 hours (was fast in pregnancy)
-Temperature: return to normal within hours PP
1. Could be transient mild elevation (< 100.4 F) in 1st 24 hours
2. Could be transient temperature rise on 3-4th day
why is there a transient mild elevation in temperature in the first 24 hours
- general inflammatory reaction
- dehydration
- epidural
why is there a transient temperature rise on the 3-4th day after birth
- breast engorgement (full breasts from milk coming in = inflammation
While auscultating the heart of a postpartum patient what might you hear related to the physiological changes in pregnancy and PP?
systolic murmur from more blood volume
Physiological Changes and Assessments- cardiovascular
- Blood volume decreases 1000-1500 ml
-Diuresis: sweating at night 1st week PP
-Blood loss - Cardiac output: increases 60-80% immediately PP due to relief of the inferior vena cava obstruction and contraction of the uterus followed by rapid decline to prelabor values within 1 hour
-Pre pregnancy states by ~ 2 weeks.
Physiological Changes and Assessments- respiratory
-Immediate decrease in pressure on the diaphragm and reduction in pulmonary blood volume
-Rate back to normal within 2-3 days
when can someone start using estrogen based birth control
- when estrogen levels go down (6-8 weeks) or when your not breastfeeding
-What complication are you assessing for when auscultating the lungs?
- pulmonary emboli from estrogen
- pulmonary edema
Review of Systems/Labs- Head to toe approach with ROS
-Depression, anxiety, fatigue
-Fevers, chills
-Dizziness, syncope with ambulation
-Nausea, vomiting
-Headache, visual changes, RUQ/epigastric pain (pre eclampsia)
-Chest pain, palpitations
-Difficulty breathing, SOB- should resolve quickly (PE sign)
-Dysuria
-Pain with bowel movement
-Difficulty with moving/ambulation
HELLP labs
- check if concerned for preeclampsia
- hemolysis, elevated liver enzymes, low platelets
Review of Systems/Labs- potential
- Normally CBC, type and screen on admission
-Common to see WBC elevation 12,000-20,000 + in labor and postpartum- might mask infection
-Repeat CBC postpartum: H +H and WBC (normal to be high but assess other signs of infection) - HELLP labs
breast and nipple care: assessment and education for breast feeders
- alternate breasts
- no soap on nipples
- dont rip the baby off- use finger to delatch
- wear bra 24 hours a day without under wire
- assess for hard red lump on one side = mastitis
- are they soft or filling with milk (firmer) or very hard warm and engorged
when does mature milk come in
- 3-5 days after labor: before this its colostrum
what assessments and education can you provide for someone bottle feeding
- no nipple stimulation (not even warm water hitting the nipple)
- firm bra
- ice packs (or cabbage leaves) to reduce swelling when engorgement happens
latch score
-evaluates feeding effectiveness
-The higher the score the more effective the feeding
-By 12 hours of age the score should be >6
L=latch
A= audible swallowing
T=type of nipple
C=comfort (breast/nipple)
H= hold (positioning)
what do you determine the latch score off of
-Breasts- soft, non-tender, nipples are flat but intact
-LATCH Assessment
-Assistance required for positioning
-The baby was very sleepy and only held the nipple in his mouth, there were no audible swallows
uterus- involution
- Immediate postpartum: halfway between SP and U
- 1 hour PP: at U
- Next 6 weeks
-Cells atrophy and shrink
-Returns to non-pregnant location in pelvis by ~ 6 weeks
-Rate of descent: 1 cm per day until a pelvic organ at about 10 days