The nursery nurse attends the delivery of a post-term infant. Upon initial assessment, the infant is lethargic, has coarse breath sounds and blood gases indicate acidosis. An X-ray shows a honeycomb appearance. These signs are consistent with which complication of the newborn?

Assessing fetal heart rate (FHR) and maternal vital signs would be the highest priority nursing intervention when admitting a pregnant woman who has experienced a bleeding episode in late pregnancy. This is because fetal distress or maternal instability may require immediate medical intervention, such as delivery via emergency cesarean section or blood transfusions, respectively.

Therefore, assessing the FHR and maternal vital signs will help to determine the urgency of the situation and guide the next steps in the management of the patient. Once the patient's condition has stabilized, performing venipuncture for hemoglobin and hematocrit levels, monitoring uterine contractions, and placing clean disposable pads to collect any drainage can be done as appropriate.

The nurse's first action should be to massage the woman's fundus. A completely saturated perineal pad within 15 minutes after giving birth indicates excessive bleeding, which is also known as postpartum hemorrhage (PPH). Massaging the uterus (fundus) can help it to contract, reduce bleeding, and prevent further blood loss. Once the fundus has been massaged, the nurse should assess the woman's vital signs and continue to monitor her for signs of continued bleeding. If bleeding persists despite massage, the nurse should begin an intravenous (IV) infusion of Ringer's lactate solution and call the woman's primary healthcare provider.