Final answer:
The suitable nursing intervention when a fetal heart rate of 152 is detected is to document the findings in the chart, as this is within the normal range for a fetus in utero. No immediate further action is necessary unless accompanied by signs of fetal distress.
Step-by-step explanation:
If the nurse auscultates the fetal heart rate (FHR) and determines a rate of 152, the most appropriate nursing intervention is to document the findings in the chart. A fetal heart rate of 110-160 beats per minute is considered normal for a fetus in utero. There is no need for immediate concern or intervention such as re-assessment every 5 minutes, reporting to a provider or nurse-midwife immediately, or applying oxygen and turning the mother on her left side unless the FHR is outside the normal range or there are other signs of fetal distress.
In the context of a newborn's health assessment using the Apgar score, of which heart rate is a critical component, a normal Apgar score would be 8 or above. However, we need to distinguish between heart rates measured intrauterine (as described in the initial scenario) and those measured postpartum for the Apgar score. In the present case, as the FHR is within the normal intrauterine range, documenting the rate is the correct action.