MEDizzy - A nurse is assessing the apical and radial pulses of a

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

A nurse is assessing the apical and radial pulses of a postpartum client 3 hours after the birth of her second child. Which clinical finding does the nurse expect?

ExplanationB. The heartbeat can drop as low as 50 beats/min for up to 10 days after the birth. It occurs because of the decreased blood volume, and increased stroke volume after the pregnancy has terminated. A. A thready pulse may be a sign of postpartum hemorrhage with impending shock. C. A bounding pulse may be a sign of hypertension. Although there may be a slight rise in blood pressure for several days, hypertension is not expected. D. An irregular heartbeat may be a sign of cardiac decompensation that requires further investigation.