Question

A client is resting comfortably 4 hours after delivering her first child. When measuring her heart rate, the nurse expects which normal finding?

a) Tachycardia
b) Bradycardia
c) Normal heart rate
d) Irregular heart rhythm

Answer 1

The mother resting comfortably after childbirth is likely to have a normal heart rate, which generally falls between 60-100 bpm. Tachycardia and bradycardia are abnormal unless associated with symptoms, which the mother is not experiencing.

Step-by-step explanation:

After delivering her first child, when measuring her heart rate, a nurse would most likely expect the mother to have a normal heart rate. For an adult, a normal resting heart rate (HR) is between 60-100 beats per minute (bpm). Although physiological changes during pregnancy can lead to an increased heart rate, after childbirth, the rate typically returns to the mother's normal range. Conditions such as tachycardia (resting rate above 100 bpm) and bradycardia (resting rate below 60 bpm) are considered abnormal, with tachycardia sometimes occurring during pregnancy or under extreme stress. Iregular heart rhythm, or arrhythmia, is also an unusual finding postpartum. In absence of other symptoms like weakness, fatigue, dizziness, or chest discomfort, the heart rate should stabilize within the normal range. Therefore, the most accurate answer is (c) Normal heart rate.