Lowdermilk Chapter 17: Maximizing Comfort for the Laboring Woman Score An A+

1. An 18-year-old pregnant woman, gravida 1, para 0, is admitted to the labor and birth unit with moderate contractions every 5 minutes that last 40 seconds. The client states, my contractions are so strong, I don’t know what to do. Before making plan of care, what should the nurses first action be? a. Assess for fetal well-being. b. Encourage the woman to lie on her side. c. Disturb the woman as little as possible. d. Recognize that pain is personalized for each individual. D (Each woman’s pain during childbirth is unique and is influenced by a variety of physiologic, psychosocial, and environmental factors. A critical issue for the nurse is how support can make a difference in the pain of the woman during labor and birth. This scenario includes no information that would indicate fetal distress or a logical reason to be overly concerned about the well-being of the fetus. The left lateral position is used to alleviate fetal distress, not maternal stress. The nurse has an obligation to provide physical, emotional, and psychosocial care and support to the laboring woman. This client clearly needs support.)