A nurse is planning to teach a prenatal class on the Dick-Read ...

[kwoodring]

A nurse is planning to teach a prenatal class on the Dick-Read method of childbirth. Which information should the nurse plan to include?
 
  A.
  After birth, the newborn is placed in a tub of warm water.
  B.
  Consciously controlled breathing is the main coping strategy.
  C.
  Relaxation is vital because pain is caused by fear and tension.
  D.
  The Dick-Read method means a totally medication-free birth.

Question 2

A pregnant woman in her third trimester presents to the emergency department after fainting upon rising from a supine position. Which activity should the nurse perform first?
 
  A.
  Call the cardiology department for an EKG.
  B.
  Determine the fetal heart rate.
  C.
  Obtain a blood glucose reading.
  D.
  Teach her to rise slowly from a reclining position.

[carojassy25]

Answer to Question 1

ANS: C
The founder of the Dick-Read method of childbirth was convinced that the pain associated with labor and birth was caused by tension and fear. These conditions stimulate the woman's sympathetic nervous system, decrease blood flow to the uterus, and lead to uterine hypoxia. Relaxation restores the blood flow. Placing the baby in a warm tub of water is a component of the LeBoyer method; consciously controlled breathing as the main coping strategy is part of the Lamaze method; and although Dick-Read did not advocate for the use of pain medication, he did approve it when the woman was unable to relax or was experiencing complications.

Answer to Question 2

ANS: C
Supine hypotension is caused by the pressure of the enlarging uterus on the inferior vena cava while the woman is in a supine position. Vena caval compression impedes venous blood flow, reduces the amount of blood in the heart, and decreases cardiac output, causing dizziness and syncope. Pathological causes of supine hypotension include cardiac or respiratory disorders, anemia, hypoglycemia, dehydration, anxiety, and stress. Hypoglycemia can be treated rapidly if that is the cause. The other actions are appropriate as well, but the priority action would be to identify a condition that is readily treatable.

[kwoodring]

Thank you

[carojassy25]

Happy to help you