What should the nurse do first after the placenta has been delivered?

What should the nurse do first after the placenta has been delivered?

• A. Inspect the placenta for completeness of the cotyledons.
• B. Palpate the uterus to see if it is contracted.
• C. Administer oxytoxic agents as ordered.
• D. Estimate the blood loss to detect any bleeding.

Answer: (A)

The first action a nurse should take after the delivery of the placenta is to palpate the uterus to ensure it is contracted. A well-contracted uterus is crucial for minimizing the risk of postpartum hemorrhage, as it helps to expel any retained placental fragments and control bleeding from the uterine vessels. While inspecting the placenta for completeness is important to make sure that no parts of it have been retained, this is not the immediate priority immediately following delivery. Assessing the uterine tone is a critical first step because a soft, boggy uterus indicates atony, which could lead to significant blood loss. Administering oxytoxic agents may be indicated if the uterus is not contracting adequately, but it is standard practice to first assess the uterine tone. Estimating blood loss is also important but comes after ensuring the uterus is contracting and controlling any potential bleeding immediately. Therefore, palpating the uterus for contraction should be the nurse's first action following placental delivery.

The first action a nurse should take after the delivery of the placenta is to palpate the uterus to ensure it is contracted. A well-contracted uterus is crucial for minimizing the risk of postpartum hemorrhage, as it helps to expel any retained placental fragments and control bleeding from the uterine vessels.

While inspecting the placenta for completeness is important to make sure that no parts of it have been retained, this is not the immediate priority immediately following delivery. Assessing the uterine tone is a critical first step because a soft, boggy uterus indicates atony, which could lead to significant blood loss.

Administering oxytoxic agents may be indicated if the uterus is not contracting adequately, but it is standard practice to first assess the uterine tone. Estimating blood loss is also important but comes after ensuring the uterus is contracting and controlling any potential bleeding immediately. Therefore, palpating the uterus for contraction should be the nurse's first action following placental delivery.