A patient who is 37 weeks pregnant and has gestational diabetes is admitted to the labor and delivery unit for induction.
The patient is placed on an external fetal monitor and receives an epidural anesthesia.Which action should the nurse take to identify a potential side effect of the epidural?

Massaging the uterus helps it contract and prevent excessive bleeding after delivery.Uterine atony is a condition where the uterus does not contract enough to clamp the blood vessels that supply the placenta, leading to postpartum hemorrhage.Uterine massage is one of the interventions to treat uterine atony and restore uterine tone.

Choice A is wrong because having the client void frequently does not directly affect the uterine contraction.However, a full bladder can interfere with uterine contraction and cause displacement of the uterus, so it is important to monitor the bladder status and empty it as needed.

Choice C is wrong because having the client in a side-lying position for comfort does not help with uterine contraction.However, this position may be beneficial for other reasons, such as reducing edema and pain in the perineal area.

Choice D is wrong because keeping the patient on strict bed rest for 24 hours to avoid stress on the uterus does not help with uterine contraction.In fact, early ambulation after delivery can help prevent thromboembolic complications and promote recovery.

Normal ranges for postpartum blood loss are less than 500 mL for vaginal delivery and less than 1000 mL for cesarean delivery.Postpartum hemorrhage is defined as blood loss greater than or equal to 1000 mL or blood loss accompanied by signs or symptoms of hypovolemia within 24 hours after birth.

he correct answer is choice A. “Instead of having eggs, I am eating yogurt for breakfast.” This statement shows a need for further instruction because eggs are a good source of protein and yogurt is not.

Yogurt is a dairy product that contains mostly carbohydrates and some fat.

Eggs are an animal product that contains mostly protein and some fat.

Protein is important for building and repairing tissues in the body.

Choice B is correct because adding powdered milk to skim milk increases the protein content of the drink.

Powdered milk is a dairy product that contains protein, carbohydrates and fat.

Skim milk is a dairy product that contains protein and carbohydrates but no fat.

Choice C is correct because peanut butter is a good source of protein and healthy fats.

Peanut butter is a plant product that contains protein, fat and some carbohydrates.

Crackers are a grain product that contains mostly carbohydrates and some protein.

Choice D is correct because cream of tomato soup is a good source of protein and calories.

Cream of tomato soup is a processed food that contains tomatoes, cream, flour and seasonings.

Tomatoes are a vegetable that contains mostly water and some carbohydrates.

Cream is a dairy product that contains mostly fat and some protein.

Flour is a grain product that contains mostly carbohydrates and some protein.

Seasonings are herbs and spices that contain mostly flavor and some nutrients.

The normal range of protein intake for adults is 0.8 to 1 gram per kilogram of body weight per day.

This means that an adult who weighs 70 kilograms should consume about 56 to 70 grams of protein per day.