Advantages and limitations of NST

Advantages and limitations of NST ( 5 Questions)

A nurse is reviewing the results of a nonstress test (NST) for a pregnant client at 34 weeks of gestation.

The nurse notes that the fetal heart rate (FHR) increased by at least 15 beats per minute (BPM) above the baseline for 15 seconds on two occasions within a 20-minute period.

How should the nurse interpret this finding?



Correct Answer: A

Reactive or reassuring.

This means that the fetal heart rate (FHR) increased by at least 15 beats per minute (BPM) above the baseline for 15 seconds on two occasions within a 20-minute period. This is a normal response that indicates that the baby is well oxygenated and not in distress.

Nonreactive or nonreassuring is wrong because this means that the FHR did not increase by at least 15 BPM above the baseline for 15 seconds on two occasions within a 40-minute period. This could indicate that the baby is not getting enough oxygen or has a problem with the nervous system.

Indeterminate or equivocal is wrong because this means that the FHR showed some variability but did not meet the criteria for a reactive or nonreactive test. This could be due to factors such as fetal sleep, medications, or maternal smoking.

Unsatisfactory or invalid is wrong because this means that the FHR was not recorded properly or there were too many contractions to interpret the test. This could be due to technical problems, maternal obesity, or fetal position.

Normal ranges for FHR are between 110 and 160 BPM at rest and between 120 and 180 BPM during movement.




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