The perinatal nurse determines by vaginal examination that a patient's cervix is fully dilated and the fetal presenting part is descending rapidly with the patient's pushing efforts

Question

The most appropriate nursing intervention at this time would be to do which of the following?
A.
Assist the patient with breathing patterns to slow down her pushing.
B.
Document the patient's progress and coping abilities in labor.
C.
Notify the health-care provider to come now for the birth.
D.
Provide information to the patient's partner about her stage of labor.

Answer 1

ANS: A
This woman's labor is progressing precipitously. The nurse should instruct her to breathe through contractions to avoid pushing. Documentation should always be thorough, but further action is needed. The provider should be notified about a possible precipitous birth, but the woman needs assistance to control the bearing-down efforts. The nurse can delegate the notification task to someone else. Patients and their support persons always need information on their progress, but this is not the most important action.