Final answer:
A nurse should continue to monitor the FHR and prepare for neonatal interventions due to the potential for aspiration of meconium, despite a reassuring external fetal monitor tracing.
Step-by-step explanation:
If a nurse is caring for a client in active labor with meconium-stained amniotic fluid and notes a reassuring Fetal Heart Rate (FHR) tracing from the external fetal monitor, the nurse should continue to closely monitor the FHR and prepare for potential interventions that may be necessary upon delivery. The presence of meconium indicates that the fetus might have experienced fetal distress, but since the FHR is reassuring, immediate delivery is not necessarily required. However, it is important to be ready for aspiration of meconium since its presence in the inhaled fluid can lead to complications such as obstructed airways, alveolar collapse, or pulmonary infection. The healthcare team should anticipate the need for extensive aspiration of the infant's airways as soon as the head is delivered to prevent meconium aspiration syndrome.