Question

The nurse notes on the fetal monitor that laboring client has a variable deceleration. which action should the nurse implement first:

A) Change the maternal position
B) Administer oxygen to the mother
C) Increase the IV fluid rate
D) Notify the healthcare provider

Answer 1

The initial response to variable decelerations observed in a fetal monitor during labor should be for the nurse to change the maternal position to potentially alleviate umbilical cord compression.

Step-by-step explanation:

If a nurse notes variable decelerations on the fetal monitor for a laboring client, the first action the nurse should implement is A) Change the maternal position. Variable decelerations can be an indication that the baby is experiencing umbilical cord compression, and a change in the mother's position can often relieve this pressure and improve blood flow and oxygen delivery to the fetus. Other subsequent actions might include administering oxygen to the mother, increasing the IV fluid rate, and notifying the healthcare provider, but repositioning the mother is generally the first step in addressing variable decelerations.