A woman is experiencing a long and painful labor and is becoming ...

[KWilfred]

A woman is experiencing a long and painful labor and is becoming increasingly intolerant of the pain. She has been receiving frequent, small doses of IV hydromorphone (Dilaudid).
 
  The nurse suggests that she switch from medication to massage and water treatments. The patient is reluctant. What explanation by the nurse is best?
  A.
  It's either this or you'll need an amniotomy.
  B.
  Pain medicine sometimes slows labor down.
  C.
  You are getting too much pain medication.
  D.
  Your anxiety can cause labor to be slow.

Question 2

The nurse is preparing to admit a diabetic woman who is in labor. The nurse plans care to assess carefully for which of the following conditions in this patient?
 
  A.
  Diminishing uterine contractions
  B.
  Need for an epidural block
  C.
  Onset of intrapartum hypertension
  D.
  Overly strong, painful contractions

[miss.ashley]

Answer to Question 1

ANS: B
Pharmacological pain interventions can slow the progress of labor, especially if the labor pattern was not well established prior to initiating medication. In order to ease pain and discomfort, the nurse should suggest nonpharmacological measures that should help decrease the amount of pain medication the woman requires. The other statements are not accurate, and telling the woman she has to choose between relaxation techniques or amniotomy sounds vaguely threatening.

Answer to Question 2

ANS: A
Diabetic women are at risk for having a macrosomic infant, which is a risk factor for hypotonic labor. For this patient, the nurse needs to be especially aware of this and assess for less frequent and less intense labor contractions. The other three conditions are not specifically related to diabetes.

[KWilfred]

Excellent

[okolip]

Great answer, keep it coming