Question

A client delivers a viable infant, but begins to have excessive uncontrolled vaginal bleeding. What information is most important?

1) Maternal blood pressure
2) Maternal apical pulse
3) Time pitocin infusion completed
4) Total amount of pitocin infused

Answer 1

The most important information when a client has excessive uncontrolled vaginal bleeding post-delivery is the maternal blood pressure. It indicates the severity of blood loss and risk of shock. In the case of prolonged labor, pitocin may be used to augment the labor process.

Step-by-step explanation:

When a client delivers a viable infant but begins to have excessive uncontrolled vaginal bleeding, the most important information to consider is 1) Maternal blood pressure. This is critical to know because it can indicate the severity of the blood loss and the risk of hemodynamic instability or shock in the mother. The other options, such as the maternal apical pulse, time pitocin infusion completed, and total amount of pitocin infused are also relevant but secondary in an acute bleeding scenario, where maintaining vital organ perfusion is the top priority.

Janine, at 41 weeks pregnant and experiencing mild contractions with little cervical dilation, was administered pitocin to augment labor because her labor was not progressing. Pitocin is synthetic oxytocin, which is used to restart and maintain labor contractions, leading to cervical dilation and the eventual delivery of the baby.