A nurse is caring for a client who is receiving an epidural for continuous labor analgesia.
Which of the following findings should indicate to the nurse that the treatment is effective?
The client reports slight pressure with contractions.
The client has bladder distention.
The client's systolic blood pressure decreases by 20 mm Hg.
The client is unable to move their legs or feet.
The Correct Answer is A
Choice A rationale
The primary goal of epidural analgesia is to provide effective pain relief while allowing the client to maintain some sensation, particularly pressure, which indicates the epidural is blocking nociceptive pain signals effectively without completely eliminating proprioceptive awareness. This selective blockade allows the client to feel contractions, facilitating pushing efforts, while minimizing pain perception by blocking transmission of pain impulses via spinal nerves.
Choice B rationale
Bladder distention is a common side effect of epidural analgesia, resulting from the blockade of parasympathetic nerve fibers innervating the bladder, which can impair the micturition reflex. While it indicates the epidural's systemic effect, it is an adverse effect requiring intervention, such as catheterization, rather than a direct indicator of effective pain management.
Choice C rationale
A decrease in systolic blood pressure by 20 mm Hg, or more, is a common adverse effect of epidural analgesia, caused by sympathetic blockade, leading to vasodilation and subsequent peripheral pooling of blood. While it demonstrates the systemic absorption and action of the anesthetic, it signifies a complication requiring management, not an indicator of effective pain relief for labor.
Choice D rationale
Inability to move legs or feet suggests a dense motor blockade, which can occur with epidural analgesia but is not the desired outcome for labor. While a degree of motor weakness may be present, complete motor paralysis can hinder effective pushing during the second stage of labor and is usually avoided to allow for maternal participation in the birth process.
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Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams
Related Questions
Correct Answer is C
Explanation
Choice A rationale
Avoiding sterile vaginal examinations is not a primary action for uterine atony and large vaginal bleeding. While excessive or repeated vaginal examinations can potentially introduce infection or dislodge clots, the immediate priority for uterine atony is to address the lack of uterine tone to prevent further blood loss.
Choice B rationale
Obtaining a specimen for a Kleihauer-Betke test is used to quantify the amount of fetal red blood cells in the maternal circulation, typically after a significant feto-maternal hemorrhage or trauma. While potentially useful in specific situations, it is not an immediate, primary intervention for acute uterine atony and bleeding.
Choice C rationale
Performing a fundal massage is the most immediate and critical action for uterine atony. Uterine atony is the leading cause of postpartum hemorrhage, characterized by a boggy, relaxed uterus that cannot effectively constrict blood vessels at the placental site. Manual massage stimulates uterine contractions, promoting vasoconstriction and reducing blood loss.
Choice D rationale
Assessing for abdominal tenderness is an important assessment, but it is not the primary intervention for acute uterine atony with large vaginal bleeding. Abdominal tenderness could indicate other complications such as uterine rupture or hematoma, which require different immediate interventions after addressing the atony.
Correct Answer is B
Explanation
Choice A rationale
A sudden gush of amniotic fluid typically indicates rupture of membranes (ROM), which can be spontaneous or induced. While ROM can occur during labor, it is not a direct indicator of uterine rupture, which is a catastrophic event involving the tearing of the uterine wall and often presents with different clinical signs.
Choice B rationale
Hypotension with a blood pressure of 85/40 mm Hg is a critical finding suggesting hypovolemic shock, often due to internal hemorrhage, which is a common consequence of uterine rupture. The sudden loss of maternal blood into the abdominal cavity leads to a rapid decrease in circulating blood volume and subsequent systemic hypotension.
Choice C rationale
Severe bradypnea with a respiratory rate of 10/min is not a primary indicator of uterine rupture. Bradypnea often suggests central nervous system depression, possibly from medication effects or other neurological events, but is not a direct physiological response to the acute blood loss and pain associated with a uterine tear.
Choice D rationale
Palpation of the fetal presenting part in the cervical os is a normal finding during labor progression as the fetus descends. However, if the presenting part is palpated higher or outside the uterus, it can indicate expulsion of the fetus into the abdominal cavity following a complete uterine rupture, which is an abnormal and emergent finding.
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