Question

The nurse is monitoring a client who is in the second stage of labor, at 2+ station, and anticipating birth within the hour. the client is now reporting the epidural has stopped working and is begging for something for pain. which action should the nurse prioritize?

Answer 1

The action the nurse should prioritize is to encourage her through the contractions, and explain why she is not receiving the meperidine.
At this situation, any medication would be negate as it would pass to the fetus and may bring about respiratory depression. So the nurse will have to help the mother in the pushing and contractions. The client has developed too far to try again the epidural medication. No meperidine should be taken because of the risk involved to the fetus.