Amniocentesis
Amniocentesis ( 5 Questions)
A nurse is caring for a patient who had an amniocentesis performed at 16 weeks gestation and reports cramping and vaginal bleeding 24 hours later which action should be taken first?
Administering Rho(D) immune globulin is only necessary if the mother has Rh-negative blood and the baby has Rh-positive blood, which can cause Rh sensitization. This is not given routinely to all women who have amniocentesis.
Monitor fetal heart rate. This is because cramping and vaginal bleeding after amniocentesis are signs of possible complications such as miscarriage, infection, or injury to the fetus. Monitoring the fetal heart rate can help assess the well-being of the fetus and detect any signs of distress.
Assessing maternal vital signs is not the first action to be taken. While maternal vital signs can indicate infection or bleeding, they are less important than the fetal heart rate in this situation.
Obtaining an order for an ultrasound exam is not the first action to be taken. While an ultrasound exam can help confirm the diagnosis of complications such as placental abruption or fetal injury, it is not as urgent as monitoring the fetal heart rate.
Monitor fetal heart rate. This is because cramping and vaginal bleeding after amniocentesis are signs of possible complications such as miscarriage, infection, or injury to the fetus.
Monitoring the fetal heart rate can help assess the well-being of the fetus and detect any signs of distress.
Choice A is wrong because administering Rho(D) immune globulin is only necessary if the mother has Rh-negative blood and the baby has Rh-positive blood, which can cause Rh sensitization.
This is not given routinely to all women who have amniocentesis.
Choice C is wrong because assessing maternal vital signs is not the first action to be taken.
While maternal vital signs can indicate infection or bleeding, they are less important than the fetal heart rate in this situation.
Choice D is wrong because obtaining an order for an ultrasound exam is not the first action to be taken.
While an ultrasound exam can help confirm the diagnosis of complications such as placental abruption or fetal injury, it is not as urgent as monitoring the fetal heart rate.
Normal ranges for fetal heart rate are 110 to 160 beats per minute. Normal ranges for maternal vital signs are: temperature 36.1°C to 37.2°C, pulse 60 to 100 beats per minute, blood pressure 120/80 mm Hg or lower, and respiratory rate 12 to 20 breaths per minute.