A nurse is providing teaching to a postpartum client who has type 1 diabetes mellitus and is breastfeeding her newborn. Which of the following instructions should the nurse give the client?

The correct answer is choice d. “The nurse should measure the newborn’s muscle tone when assigning an Apgar score.”

Choice A rationale:

The Apgar score is determined at 1 and 5 minutes after birth, not at 2 and 7 minutes.

Choice B rationale:

An Apgar score of 8 indicates that the newborn is in good health, not severe distress. Scores of 7-10 are considered normal.

Choice C rationale:

Resuscitation efforts should not be delayed until the first Apgar score is obtained. Immediate resuscitation is initiated if needed, regardless of the Apgar score.

Choice D rationale:

Muscle tone is one of the five criteria assessed in the Apgar score, along with appearance, pulse, grimace, and respiration.

The correct answer is choice B: Administer a bolus infusion of lactated Ringer’s.

Choice A rationale:

Positioning the client in a knee-chest position is not the standard intervention for maternal hypotension following epidural placement. This position is more commonly associated with cord prolapse or to relieve pressure on the vena cava.

Choice B rationale:

Administering a bolus infusion of lactated Ringer’s is the correct action. Hypotension during epidural analgesia is treated with additional intravenous boluses of crystalloid solution. This helps to increase the circulating blood volume and counteract the vasodilation caused by the epidural.

Choice C rationale:

Terbutaline is a medication used to relax the uterus and prevent premature labor, not for treating hypotension.

Choice D rationale:

Applying oxygen via a nonrebreather face mask at 2 L/min is not the primary treatment for maternal hypotension. Oxygen may be used as a supportive measure if there is evidence of fetal distress or maternal hypoxemia, but the first line of treatment for hypotension is fluid administration.