Station Lab Exam

First day of last menstrual period, sub 3 months, add 7 days, plus one year

naegele’s rule:

To measure vaginal pH to determine if the amniotic membrane has ruptured. strip turns blue if pH is greater than 6.0

Purpose of Nitrazine paper test

To advance or induce labour. May release hormones that cause stronger contractions

Rationale for amniotomy (AROM)

Pat dry, use peri bottle to spray warm water after voiding or BM. Keeping it clean prevents infection

How to care for perineum/episiotomy

Uterine atony: uterine muscles don’t contract enough to clamp the placental blood vessels shut after childbirth. Can lead to life threatening blood losss.

Main cause of excessive bleeding after childbirth

try to void regularly

How to prevent bladder distension

Rubra: first 3 days

Serosa: 4-12 days

Alba: 12 days- up to 6 weeks

what color lochia to be expected postpartum? [3 kinds]

1. skin to skin

2. keeping them dry

3. using a warm blanket

Measures to conserve neonate body heat

estimated from the date of LMP (or ultrasound at more than 22 weeks)

How to determine gestational age of newborn?

Axillary temp

How to obtain newborn temperature

1kg=2.2 pounds

Conversion for kg to pounds

1 inch = 2.54 cm

convert inches to cm

1. colour (pink)

2. heart rate (over 100bpm)

3. reflexes (active)

4. muscle tone (movement)

5. respiration (crying)

Apgar score categories:

heel stick

How to collect blood specimens for newborns:

1. always put baby on back

2. firm surface

3. no blankets, pillows, etc.

4. in the bassinet (avoid co sleeping)

How to create a safe sleep environment for newborn (and prevent SIDS)

1. help get patient into position

2. monitoring (make sure she is not contracting)

3. helping physician with placement

4. epidural assessment

how do nurses assist with epidural insertion

every 2-3 days, prevents drying

how often to bathe newborn?

38-40 degrees (check with elbow)

baby bath temp

first or last. have the rest of baby ocoveed and use football hold.

When to clean baby hair

1. eye protection

2. diaper (maybe)

what should babies under phototherapy wear?

every two hours

How often to monitor baby temp under phototherapy?

interpretations can be that baby is in distress when thye are actually fine.

Why does c-section rate increase with EFM?

prolonged acceleration

acceleration longer than 2 minutes

Late decel

Decel related to placental insufficiency, post contraction

decompensation

not making t back up to baseline from deccelerations

1. stop oxytocin

2. make sure she is hydrated (could be dehydrated)

what to do when mother is having tachysystole

1. turn on left side

2. offer juice or popsicles

interventions to improve FHR (nursing)

T4 (respiratory depression)

dont want to be numb above this vertebrae:

respiratory depression from opioids. but, the pain relief is also gone

when to give narcan

Systemic toxicity: tingling, light-headed, metallic taste

overdose of anaesthetic

stop infusion

nursing interventions for systemic toxicity

using ice

how to assess dermatomes