Final answer:
The priority nursing intervention during labor is to assist the woman with pain management strategies. It involves supporting her through the three stages of labor and, if necessary, administering medications like Pitocin when labor stalls.
Step-by-step explanation:
The priority nursing intervention when caring for a woman in labor is helping the woman find ways to manage pain during the childbirth process. Pain management is crucial as it helps the laboring woman cope with the intense physical and emotional challenges of labor. The process of labor consists of three main stages: cervical dilation, the expulsion of the newborn, and the delivery of the afterbirth (placenta). Hormones such as oxytocin play a vital role in inducing contractions. Pitocin, a synthetic form of oxytocin, is sometimes used to initiate or strengthen labor if it has stalled before reaching the second stage, as in the case of the patient Janine who is 41 weeks pregnant and showing signs of prolonged early labor.