A nurse is assessing a client who is in active labor. Which of the following findings should the nurse report to the provider?
Explanation & Rationale
Choice A reason: Contractions lasting 60 seconds every 5 minutes are normal for active labor, indicating effective uterine activity to progress delivery. This does not require immediate reporting, as it aligns with expected labor patterns and does not indicate fetal or maternal distress, making it a non-urgent finding. Choice B reason: A fetal heart rate of 140 beats per minute is within the normal range (110-160 bpm) for a fetus in labor. This indicates fetal well-being and does not require reporting unless accompanied by abnormal patterns like decelerations, making this finding normal and not urgent. Choice C reason: A maternal blood pressure of 120/80 mmHg is normal and does not indicate distress or complications like preeclampsia. It does not require reporting, as it reflects stable maternal hemodynamics during labor, making this finding non-urgent compared to fetal heart rate abnormalities. Choice D reason: Late decelerations in the FHR indicate uteroplacental insufficiency, reducing fetal oxygenation and risking hypoxia. This requires immediate reporting to the provider for interventions like position changes or oxygen administration to prevent fetal distress, making it the critical finding necessitating urgent action.