Postpartum Maternal Complications Foundations of MaternalNewborn & Women's Health Nursing, 7th Edition

A multiparous patient is admitted to the postpartum unit after a rapid labor and birth of a 4000-g infant. Her fundus is boggy, lochia is heavy, and vital signs are unchanged. The nurse has the patient void and massages her fundus; however, the fundus remains difficult to find and the rubra lochia remains heavy. Which action should the nurse take next? a. Recheck vital signs. b. Insert a Foley catheter. c. Notify the health care provider. d. Continue to massage the fundus. - c. Notify the health care provider. A patient has been treated with oxytocin (Pitocin) for postpartum hemorrhage. Bleeding has stabilized and slowed down considerably. The peripad in place reveals a moderate amount of bright red blood, with no clots expelled when massaging the fundus. The patient now complains of having difficulty breathing. Auscultation of breath sounds reveals adventitious sounds. Based on this clinical presentation, the priority nursing action is to a. evaluate intake and output of the past 12 hours following birth. b. initiate a rapid response intervention. c. obtain an order from the physician for type and crossmatch of 2 units packed red blood cells (PRBCs). d. reposition the patient and reassess in 15 minutes. Initiate frequent vital sign assessments. - b. initiate a rapid response intervention.