A postpartum client overhears the nurse tell the health care ...

[future617RT]

A postpartum client overhears the nurse tell the health care provider that she has a positive Homans sign and asks what it means. Which is the nurse's best response?
 
  a. You have pitting edema in your ankles.
  b. You have deep tendon reflexes rated 2+.
  c. You have calf pain when the nurse flexes your foot.
  d. You have a 'fleshy' odor to your vaginal drainage.

Question 2

The health care provider has prescribed an initial rate of 6 mU/min of diluted Pitocin to be started to augment labor for a client having arrested labor.
 
  At which setting will the nurse set the infusion pump (in mL/hr) if the dilution of the Pitocin is 10 U of Pitocin in 1000 mL of 0.25 normal saline? Record your answer as a whole number.
  _______ mL/hr
  What will be an ideal response?

[Kingjoffery]

Answer to Question 1

ANS: C
Discomfort in the calf with sharp dorsiflexion of the foot may indicate a deep vein thrombosis. Edema is within normal limits for the first few days until the excess interstitial fluid is remobilized and excreted. Deep tendon reflexes should be 1+ to 2+. A fleshy odor, not a foul odor, is within normal limits.

Answer to Question 2

ANS:
36
10 units of Pitocin in 1000 mL of 0.25 normal saline = 10,000 mU/1000 mL (or 10 mU/1 mL). Cross-multiply to get 6 mU per X mL:
10:1::6:X = 10X = 6
X = 0.6 mL/min
Multiply by 60 minutes to get the amount infused per hour:
0.6 mL/min  60 min/hr = 36 mL/hr

[future617RT]

Thanks for the timely response, appreciate it

[nathang24]

Excellent