Question

. What care should Mrs. M. receive before she is transferred to the recovery room. Why?

Mrs. M. is a 27-y/o gravida 3, para 2, who was admitted at term at 6:30 p.m. She stated that
she had been having contractions at 7 to 10 minutes intervals since 4 p.m. They lasted 30
seconds. She also stated that she had been having "a lot of false labor" and hoped that this
was "the real thing". Her membranes were intact. Mrs. M.'s temperature, pulse and respirations
were normal and her blood pressure was 124/80. The fetal heart tones were 134 and regular.
The nurse examined Mrs. M. and found that the baby's head was at +1 station, and the cervix
was 4 cm. dilated and 80 percent effaced. She reported her findings to the doctor and he
ordered Demerol 50 mg. with Phenergan 25 mg. to be given intravenously when needed.

Answer 1

Nursing interventions and care is very crucial in order to promote comfort and relieve stress of a pregnant women in labour. The nurse should start with physical assessment and intervention like a final check on the vital signs, cardiovascular system assessment as well as monitor her uterine status and nutritional needs. The nurse should ask whether the patient has any ongoing discomfort or if they need something prior to the transfer. Proper medication should be administered by the nurse if the patient shows any sign of rashes, viral infection like rubella, anemia or pain. In the case of Mrs. M. the doctor and has already ordered Demerol 50 mg. for moderate to severe pain with Phenergan 25 mg. to prevent and treat nausea and vomiting and should be given intravenously when needed. The nurse could also administer limited quantity of Pitoxin which is the synthetic version of oxytocin, a hormone that stimulate the uterus and induce contraction.