Difficulty: Medium
Average Score: 66%
Practice
A nurse is assessing a client who is in the first stage of labor and has an external fetal monitor in place. The nurse observes early decelerations in the fetal heart rate. Which of the following actions should the nurse take?
Correct answer
A
Rationale
Early decelerations are a benign finding that typically indicate fetal head compression, a normal response to uterine contractions. They do not require intervention as they are not associated with fetal compromise. The appropriate action for the nurse in this scenario is to continue to monitor the fetal heart rate. Repositioning the client, administering oxygen, or increasing IV fluids are not indicated responses to early decelerations and could be unnecessary or potentially harmful.