Question

Which nurse should be assigned to care for the postpartum client with preeclampsia?

A. The RN with 2 weeks of experience in postpartum
B. The RN with 3 years of experience in labor and delivery
C. The RN with 10 years of experience in surgery
D. The RN with 1 year of experience in the neonatal intensive care unit

Answer 1

Pitocin is given to Janine to induce labor due to prolonged labor or failure to progress. The newborn's first breath causes a transition in circulatory patterns by reducing resistance in the pulmonary vessels and closing fetal circulatory shunts.

Step-by-step explanation:

Janine is administered an IV infusion of pitocin to induce labor. This is because she is experiencing prolonged labor or failure to progress, which is labor that does not move as fast as expected. Pitocin, a synthetic form of the hormone oxytocin, is used to stimulate uterine contractions to advance labor, particularly when there are concerns for the mother or baby due to postdates pregnancy (past 41 weeks).

The newborn's first breath induces significant changes in the circulatory pattern. At birth, when a baby takes its first breath, the lungs inflate, and the increased oxygen in the blood causes a decrease in resistance in the pulmonary vessels. This shift prompts the closure of the fetal circulatory shunts, namely the ductus arteriosus and foramen ovale, redirecting blood flow to the lungs for oxygenation rather than bypassing them as occurs in utero.