Immediately following an epidural block, a pregnant patient's blood pressure suddenly falls to 90/50 mmHg. What action should the nurse do first?
A) Place the patient supine.
B) Raise the head of the bed.
C) Ask the patient to take deep breaths.
D) Turn onto the left side or raise the legs.
D
Feedback:
To help prevent supine hypotension syndrome, place the pregnant patient on the left side after an epidural block. If hypotension should occur, the patient's legs should be raised in addition to providing oxygen, intravenous fluids, and medication. The supine position encourages hypotension syndrome. Raising the head of the bed and deep breathing are not interventions to help with hypotension syndrome.
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