NRSG postpartum, newborn, and family Flashcards
Postpartum Period (when, what)
- When: up to 6 wks post birth
- What: When the reproductive track returns to normal
4th stage of labor
first hour after delivery
What happens during the 4th stage of labor
*Fundal check begins
*Breastfeeding established
*Client adjusting to situation
Primipara
Woman who has had one pregnancy that results in a fetus that attained a wt of 500 g or a gestational age of 20 wks whether or not it was born alive
Multipara
A woman who has given birth 2 or more times
Grand multipara
A woman who has given birth 5 or more times
Handover report of a postpartum patient
*Should be face-to-face to ask questions
*ideally in presence of the pt
*includes accurate and complete prenatal hx
*Risk factors
*Delivery and immediate postpartum recovery summary
*Type of anesthesia, QBL, fluid balance, meds received, pain level
*breastfeeding attempts, and success or need for education
ISBAR
Identify yourself
Situation
Background
Assessment
Request or recommendation
Postpartum shivering (what)
Seen in 25-50% postpartum women after norm deliveries
PP shivering (when)
Usually 1-30 min post delivery, lasts 2-60 min
PP shivering (tx)
None needed, warm blanket for reassurance
Fall risk (how to eval)
*Evaluate musc control after anesthetic (ask pt to raise her knees, lift her feet one at a time, dorsiflex foot, raise her buttocks off bed
*First ambulation should be w/ assistance
*Sit in shower if needed
*Remain seated when holding the baby
Avoid sudden position changes
Check orthostatic vital signs when appropriate
Who is a fall risk
*pts who’ve had anesthetics, narcotics, blood loss, BP
Maternal Phsyiologic changes (first 2-3 days)
*Afterbirth pains: contractions during breast feeding
-Positive sign of good sucking by baby, since this stimulates release of oxytocin
-Uterus begins the process of shrinking back to size
-Consider giving Ibuprofen at least 30 min b4 next estimated feeding to reduce afterpains
*Postpartum blues: usually during this stage of PP, subsides in 1-2 wks
A client has just been transferred to the postpartum unit from labor and delivery.
Which of the following nursing care goals is of highest priority?
1. The client will breastfeed her baby every 2 hours.
2. The client will consume a normal diet.
3. The client will have a moderate lochial flow.
4. The client will ambulate to the bathroom every 2 hours.
- The client will have a moderate lochial flow.
PP interventions (1st hr)
- Assess every 15 min
- VS
- Height, consistency (firm or boggy), location of the fundus: umbilicus, 1 finger-breadth, above or below umbilicus
- Uterus should be at midline. If deviated to the right, likely a full bladder
-Fundus should be at the midline, if deviated to right, likely a full bladder
-Amount of lochia (scant, moderate, heavy)
Maternal physiologic changes: Cardio
*Increased circulating blood vol. in immediate PP period
* “Auto-transfusion” of blood that circulated in the uterine muscle during preg
* 60-80% rise in cardiac output for 1-2 hr following delivery
Maternal Physiologic Changes: Hematologic
Hematocrit may initially drop due to blood loss associated with delivery but stats to rise again as plasma vol decreases due to diuresis and hemoconcentration
A maternity nurse knows that obstetric clients are most at high risk for cardiovascular compromise during the one hour immediately following a delivery because of which of the following?
1. Weight of the uterine body is significantly reduced.
2. Excess blood volume from pregnancy is circulating in the woman’s periphery.
3. Cervix is fully dilated and the lochia flows freely.
4. Maternal blood pressure drops precipitously once the baby’s head emerges.
- Excess blood volume from pregnancy is circulating in the woman’s periphery
On admission to the labor and delivery unit, a client’s hemoglobin (Hgb) was assessed at 11 g/dL and her hematocrit (Hct) at 33%. Which of the following values would the nurse expect to see 2 days after a normal
spontaneous vaginal delivery?
1. Hgb 12.5 g/dL; Hct 37%.
2. Hgb 11 g/dL; Hct 33%.
3. Hgb 10.5 g/dL; Hct 31%.
4. Hgb 9 g/dL; Hct 27%
- Hgb 10.5 g/dL; Hct 31%.
▪The nurse would expect these values – a slight decrease in Hgb and Hct
Maternal Physiologic Changes: Uterine description
- Rapid decrease in the size of uterus
- Moms who breastfeed may experience a more rapid involution bc of the release of oxytocin
Maternal Physiologic Changes: Uterine Involution (assessment)
*Fundal ht decreases about 1 cm/day
*by 10 days PP, uterine cannot be palpated abdominally
*A flaccid fundus indicates uterine atony, and should be massaged until firm
*A tender fundus indicates an infection
*Afterpains decrease in frequency after the first few days
Assessment of uterus
*Fundus should feel firm, like grapefruit
*Boggy uterus feels like sponge, difficult to locate
*Observe bleeding during massage
*If pad is saturated or clots are larger than a nickle, or slow steady trickly notify Dr
*Apply fresh pad and reassess hourly
A client has just been transferred to the postpartum unit from labor and delivery. Which of the following tasks should the registered nurse delegate to the nursing care assistant?
1. Assess client’s fundal height.
2. Teach client how to massage her fundus.
3. Take the client’s vital signs.
4. Document quantity of lochia in the chart
- Take the client’s vital signs.
Lochia changes and names
Rubra: bright red discharge that occurs from day of birth to day 3 -> Serosa: brownish pink discharge that occurs from days 4 to 10 ->
Alba: white discharge that occurs from days 11 to 14
*Should not smell foul
*May change w/ ambulation
Amount of Lochia
*Scant: Less than 2.5 cm (<1 inch) on a menstrual pad in 1 hour
*Light: Less than 10 cm (<4 inches) on menstrual pad in 1 hour
*Moderate: Less than 15 cm (<6 inches) on menstrual pad in 1 hour
*Heavy: Saturated menstrual pad in 1 hour
*Excessive: Menstrual pad saturated in 15 minutes
Maternal Physiologic Changes: Renal
*Common to have urinary retention as result of elasticity/tone
*Might not feel urge to void until she stands up
*Diuresis usually begins in fist 12 hrs post birth
*Full bladder can displace the uterus and lead to postpartum hemorrhage
Maternal Physiologic Changes: Gastro
*Moms feel hungry after birth
*Constipation is common with second to third day PP
*Hemorrhoids are common
Fluid Balance and Electrolytes
▪ Diuresis begins within 12 hours of birth and continues for up to 5 days
▪ Urine output may be 3000ml or more per day!
▪ Additional fluid lost through increased perspiration
▪ Fluid loss greater in patients with preeclampsia or eclampsia
▪ Risk of pulmonary edema and/or unmasking of cardiac disease
PP maternal immunizations types
- Rubella
- Rhogam
- Flu
- T-Dap
PP Maternal immunization info
*Indicated in each pregnancy
*If T dap is not given during preg, should be given asap
*Breastfeeding is not a contraindication to receiving these vaccines
Rubella Vacc
*For moms who have not had rubella, or moms who are serologically not immune (titer of less than 1-8)
*Live attenuated virus in vacc
*Must not be given to preg woman, so PP is a guaranteed, non-preg time
*Breastfeeding moms can get vacc
RhoGAM
*Given to an Rh- mother prenatally – around 26-28 weeks gestation, even though fetal blood type is unknown
*Next does is given within 72 hours after delivery of an Rh+ infant or if the Rh is unknown.
*Must be repeated after each subsequent delivery if the baby is Rh+
*RhoGAM 300 mcg is the standard dose
PP teaching
*Assess needs and confidence level
*Use interactions w/ mom to teach
*incorporate “teach back” method
*Barriers to learning: fatigue, overstim
PP pain management
Use pain scale, ask for description of pain, observe pt
After birth pains
*Occurs as a result of contractions of the uterus
*More common in multiparas, breast feeding moms, clients w/ oxytocin, clients w/ over-distended uterus during pregnancy
Perineal discomfort
*Apply ice packs to perineum during first 24 hrs to reduce swelling
*After first 24 hrs, apply warmth by sitz bath or warm tub bath at home
Epiostomy
*Instruct pt to administer perineal care after each voiding
*Encourage the use of analgesic spray as prescribed
Perineal lacerations
*Care like epiostomy
*Rectal suppositories and edemas may be contraindicated (to avoid injury to sutures
Breast discomfort from engorgment
*Wear support bra at all times
*use ice packs between feedings (if not breast feeding: could diminish milk)
*Warm soaks or a warm shower
*Analgesics
PP Consipation
*encourage fluids (2000 mL/day)
*Encourage diet high in fiber
*Encourage ambulation
*Stool softeners, laxatives, enemas, suppositories