Final answer:
A nurse can suspect a woman has entered the second stage of labor when there is a strong urge to push, as this stage is characterized by full cervical dilation (about 10 cm) and the baby moving into the birth canal.
Step-by-step explanation:
Assessment of the Second Stage of Labor
A nurse can suspect that a laboring woman has entered the second stage of labor when the woman exhibits a strong urge to push. This stage is characterized not just by the cervix being dilated more than 50% but by it being fully dilated to about 10 cm. Contractions may become more frequent and intense as labor progresses; however, the defining change that indicates the transition from the first to the second stage is the complete dilation of the cervix paired with the mother’s strong instinct to push as the baby moves into the birth canal. In this stage, the uterus contracts and the mother aids the delivery of the baby by compressing her abdominal muscles and pushing. If labor halts before reaching the second stage, Pitocin, a synthetic form of oxytocin, may be administered to restart and maintain labor.