MEDizzy - A few hours after being admitted to the hospital with a

Feed Library Learning Discuss Leaderboard Journal

Nursing Care of Women at Risk During Pregnancy & Post-partum

A few hours after being admitted to the hospital with a diagnosis of inevitable abortion, a client, at 16 weeks’ gestation, begins to experience bearing-down sensations and suddenly expels the products of conception in bed. What should the nurse do first?

ExplanationD. After a spontaneous abortion the uterine fundus should be palpated for firmness, which indicates effective uterine tone. If the uterus is not firm or appears to be hypotonic, hemorrhage may occur; a soft or boggy uterus also may indicate retained placental tissue. A. The nurse would do this if necessary after checking for fundal firmness. B. This is not the priority; the potential for hemorrhage must be monitored. C. This is unnecessary; fetal and placental contents are small and expelled easily.