Final answer:
The first step of the Leopold maneuvers involves determining the location of the fetal head in the fundal area to assess the baby's presentation. Janine is given pitocin to induce labor since she is at 41 weeks with minimal cervical dilation and her labor is not progressing. During childbirth, pitocin is used if labor stops before the baby is expelled from the uterus.
Step-by-step explanation:
The charge nurse is teaching the newly licensed nurse the Leopold maneuvers, which is a method of abdominal palpation used to estimate fetal position, size, and growth. The first step of the Leopold maneuvers is to determine the location of the fetal head in the fundal area. This involves the practitioner placing their hands on the upper portion of the pregnant person's abdomen to feel if the head is in the fundal (top) region of the uterus. If the most notable part is firm and round and moves independently from the rest of the fetus, it is likely the head, indicating that the baby is in a cephalic or breech presentation.
Janine is 41 weeks pregnant and has been experiencing mild contractions, with a cervix that is only 2 cm dilated and her amniotic sac intact. Janine is administered an IV infusion of pitocin with the aim to induce labor or augment weak and ineffective contractions, which often happens when the labor is not progressing normally, as in Janine's case.
During childbirth, there are three stages of labor. In stage one, the cervix thins and dilates; it is essential for the baby and the placenta to be expelled during birth. If labor stalls before reaching stage two, where the baby is expelled from the uterus, pitocin is given to restart and maintain labor contractions.