The perinatal nurse observes a woman entering the transition phase of labor while she uses a patterned breathing method to cope with the increasing strength of contractions

Question

She complains of light-headedness and tingling in her fingers. The most appropriate intervention by the nurse is to assist the patient in doing which of the following?
A.
Breathing more slowly and taking a cleansing breath
B.
Cupping her hands and breathing into them
C.
Putting her head between her knees
D.
Returning to bed and lying on her left side

Answer 1

ANS: B
The symptoms of respiratory alkalosis are light-headedness, dizziness, tingling of the fingers, or circumoral numbness. Strategies to eliminate respiratory alkalosis focus on replacement of the bicarbonate ion by rebreathing carbon dioxide. This can be accomplished by instructing the woman to breathe into a paper bag held tightly around the mouth and nose or, if no bag is available, instructing her to breathe into her cupped hands.