A postpartum client who is formula-feeding her new baby inquires about when she should expect her menstruation to resume.
What should the nurse inform the client?

Choice A rationale

While notifying the healthcare provider of the assessment findings is important, it would not be the first action to take. The nurse should first gather more information about the client’s condition.

Choice B rationale

Obtaining a STAT hemoglobin and hematocrit would not be the first action to take. These tests could provide information about the client’s blood volume and potential for anemia, but they would not directly address the client’s complaint of a severe headache.

Choice C rationale

Determining if the client received anesthesia during delivery is the correct first action. A severe headache in the postpartum period can be a sign of a post-dural puncture headache, which can occur as a complication of spinal or epidural anesthesia.

Choice D rationale

Assigning a practical nurse (PN) to reassess the client’s vital signs would not be the first action to take. While ongoing monitoring of the client’s vital signs is important, the nurse should first investigate the potential cause of the client’s severe headache.

Choice A rationale

A pudendal block is a type of anesthesia that results in a loss of sensation confined to the vagina and perineum. It’s often used during the second stage of labor or for episiotomy repair.

Choice B rationale

A paracervical block provides anesthesia to the cervix and the lower part of the uterus, but it does not specifically target the vagina and perineum.

Choice C rationale

An epidural block provides a band of numbness from the bellybutton to the upper legs, allowing the patient to be awake and alert throughout labor. It’s not confined to the vagina and perineum.

Choice D rationale

A saddle block is a type of spinal anesthesia that numbs the inner thighs, buttocks, and area around the rectum (the “saddle” area), but it’s not confined to the vagina and perineum.