Final answer:
The nurse administers oxytocin after delivery to promote the continuation of uterine contractions, which helps ensure the uterus contracts and prevents postpartum hemorrhage.
Step-by-step explanation:
The nurse administers oxytocin to a client immediately after delivery for the purpose of promotion of uterine contractions. Oxytocin is an endocrine hormone secreted by the pituitary gland that functions during childbirth to stimulate uterine contractions, leading to the dilation of the cervix. Oxytocin plays a critical role throughout childbirth, being continuously released in response to cervical stretching via a positive feedback mechanism, which increases the intensity and effectiveness of uterine contractions until the birth is complete.
Although oxytocin also plays a role in the milk ejection reflex during breastfeeding and is associated with parent-newborn bonding and feelings of love and closeness, its administration post-delivery is primarily to ensure that uterine contractions continue, helping to prevent postpartum hemorrhage by contracting the uterine muscles and reducing blood loss.