A nurse is caring for a client who has just experienced a complete uterine inversion immediately after delivery. What is the most critical nursing intervention that should be performed first?
A 28-year-old primigravida has just delivered a 4200-gram infant after a prolonged second stage of labor. Immediately after delivery of the placenta, the nurse observes that the uterine fundus is not palpable abdominally, and there is a large, round, bluish mass protruding from the vagina with the placenta still attached. The client is experiencing severe pain and shows signs of shock with a blood pressure of 80/50 mmHg, heart rate of 120 bpm, and is pale and diaphoretic.
1Immediately attempt to detach the placenta from the inverted uterus
2Apply steady, gentle upward pressure to the protruding uterine fundus✓ 정답
3Administer oxytocin to stimulate uterine contractions
4Place the client in Trendelenburg position and start IV fluid resuscitation
해설
Manual replacement (Johnson maneuver) is the priority to restore uterine anatomy and control bleeding. Other options (detaching placenta, oxytocin, Trendelenburg) are secondary or contraindicated until uterus is replaced.
Core Nursing ExplanationKey Concept Analysis: This question tests the priority nursing intervention for a life-threatening obstetric emergency: Acute puerperal uterine inversion. This is a rare but catastrophic event where the uterine fundus turns inside out and prolapses through the cervix, often after delivery of the placenta. The pathophysiology involves a sudden drop in intra-abdominal pressure combined with excessive cord traction or fundal pressure, causing the uterus to invert. This leads to immediate, severe hemorrhage and neurogenic shock due to traction on the uterine ligaments and peritoneum, resulting in the classic signs of shock (hypotension, tachycardia, pallor, diaphoresis) and severe pain seen in the scenario.
Answer Rationale: Key Point! The single most critical intervention is immediate manual replacement of the uterus (the Johnson maneuver). This is the correct answer (Option 2). The rationale is twofold: 1) Restoring anatomy stops the primary cause of hemorrhage by allowing the uterine muscle to contract and clamp down on the open blood vessels. 2) Relieving the inversion alleviates the neurogenic shock component by reducing traction on the peritoneum and ligaments. Time is of the essence; the longer the uterus remains inverted, the greater the blood loss and the more difficult replacement becomes due to cervical constriction.
Distractor Analysis:
Watch out for confusion! Option 1 (detach placenta): This is contraindicated until the uterus is replaced. Removing the placenta from the inverted fundus removes the only tissue partially occluding the open sinuses at the placental site, leading to immediate, catastrophic hemorrhage.
Option 3 (administer oxytocin): This is also contraindicated as an initial action. Giving a uterotonic like oxytocin will cause the cervix to contract tightly around the inverted fundus, making manual replacement impossible and trapping the uterus, which is a surgical emergency.
Option 4 (Trendelenburg & IV fluids): While managing hypovolemic shock with IV fluids and positioning to improve cerebral perfusion is a simultaneous and vital intervention, it is not the first and most specific action for uterine inversion. The shock will not resolve until the cause (the inverted uterus) is corrected. The nurse must act to replace the uterus while calling for help to initiate IV access and fluid resuscitation.
Related Concepts: This emergency integrates knowledge of postpartum hemorrhage (PPH) causes (the 4 T's: Tone, Trauma, Tissue, Thrombin; inversion is a "Tone" problem), shock management (ABCs with a cause-specific intervention), and the principle of treating the underlying cause before symptomatic management.
Concept Summary
Component
Key Takeaway
Emergency
Acute Puerperal Uterine Inversion
Pathophysiology
Uterus turns inside out → Severe hemorrhage + Neurogenic shock
Priority Action
Immediate manual replacement (Johnson maneuver)
Critical "Do Not"
Do NOT remove placenta or give oxytocin until uterus is replaced.
Concurrent Care
Call for help, manage shock (IV fluids, O2), prepare for surgery.
Visual inspection for source & prepare for repair.
Retained Placental Fragments
Incomplete expulsion of placenta; Bleeding with boggy fundus.
Prepare for manual removal or curettage.
Anatomy, Physiology & Pharmacology Points
Anatomy/Physiology: The inverted uterus stretches the broad and round ligaments and pulls on the peritoneum, causing severe pain and a vasovagal response (bradycardia can occur, but tachycardia from hemorrhage is more common). The bluish mass is the endometrial surface of the fundus.
Pharmacology: Key Point!Oxytocin, Methylergonovine, and Carboprost are uterotonics used for uterine atony. In inversion, they are contraindicated initially as they cause cervical contraction. Terbutaline or Nitroglycerin may be used to relax the cervix to aid replacement.
Memory Tips
Acronym: REPLACE First!Replace uterus manually. Ensure placenta stays on. Position for shock. Large-bore IV access. Assess vitals. Call for help (OB, anesthesia). Evaluate for surgery.
Mnemonic: "Inversion needs RE-VERSION." Think: Reverse it (manually) before you do anything else.
High-Frequency NCLEX Topics
The NCLEX loves testing priority-setting in emergencies. Uterine inversion is a classic high-acuity, low-frequency scenario that tests if you know the one specific action that must happen first, even over general life support measures. Remember: Treat the cause of the shock when it is immediately identifiable and correctable.
Watch Out for Question Variations!
Instead of asking for the first action, it might ask: "The nurse prepares which medication for administration?" The correct answer would shift to a tocolytic (to relax the cervix) or anesthesia for pain/relaxation, after replacement attempts have begun.
It might ask for the priority assessment finding confirming inversion: "A bluish mass protruding from the vagina with the placenta attached."
It could combine with other PPH causes, asking you to differentiate inversion from atony based on fundal assessment (not palpable vs. boggy).
Nursing Clinical Practice GuideClinical Scenario: You are the labor & delivery nurse for Maya, a 28-year-old who just delivered a large baby. After what seemed like a routine placental delivery, you perform a fundal check and cannot feel the uterus abdominally. Looking at the perineum, you see a dark, grapefruit-sized mass bulging from the vagina. Maya screams in pain and suddenly becomes pale, sweaty, and her blood pressure drops. Your charge nurse is across the hall.
Nursing Intervention Strategy:
Immediate Action (Seconds): Stay with the patient. Using a sterile glove, apply firm, steady upward pressure on the protruding fundus with your palm, aiming to push it back through the cervix and into its anatomical position (Johnson maneuver). Do not stop to detach the placenta. Yell for help loudly to alert the team.
Simultaneous Actions (Team Response): When help arrives:
Team Member 1: Calls the obstetrician and anesthesia stat. Initiates IV access with two large-bore (16- or 18-gauge) catheters. Starts rapid infusion of isotonic crystalloid (e.g., Lactated Ringer's).
Team Member 2: Administers oxygen via non-rebreather mask at 10-15 L/min. Monitors vital signs continuously. Prepares blood for transfusion per protocol.
Team Member 3 (You): Continues replacement attempt. If successful, once the uterus is replaced, then the team administers IV uterotonics (oxytocin) and performs bimanual compression to maintain contraction and control bleeding.
If Manual Replacement Fails: The OB will attempt hydrostatic reduction (infusing warm saline into the vagina to create pressure to push the uterus back) or proceed to the operating room for surgical correction.
Patient Safety and Precautions:
Key Point!Never pull on the umbilical cord to remove the placenta in this scenario. This is a primary cause of inversion.
Monitor for complications: Disseminated Intravascular Coagulation (DIC) from massive hemorrhage, Sheehan's syndrome (pituitary necrosis) from profound shock, and infection.
Provide massive emotional support. This is a terrifying experience for the patient and family. Explain procedures simply and reassure them the team is managing the emergency.
Nursing Procedure & Medication FlowProcedure: Johnson Maneuver (Simplified Steps)
1. Don sterile gloves.
2. Place the palm of your hand on the protruding fundus.
3. Position your fingers toward the posterior fornix of the vagina.
4. Apply steady, firm pressure in the axis of the vagina (upward and backward) to push the uterus through the cervical ring.
5. Once through, continue pressure to fully re-invert the uterus to its normal shape.
6. Keep your hand inside the uterus until it is well-contracted, then slowly withdraw.
Medication Alert:
- Hold: Oxytocin, Methergine, Hemabate. Give ONLY after uterus is replaced.
- May Administer: Terbutaline 0.25 mg SQ or IV nitroglycerin per physician order to relax the cervix. Morphine or fentanyl for pain/anxiety.
A Word from Your Senior Nurse
"Uterine inversion is one of those 'never forget' emergencies. In the moment, your training kicks in. Remember: your hand is the first and best tool. Don't hesitate, don't wait for the doctor if they aren't right there—begin replacement. You are buying that patient critical minutes. This is why we drill on high-risk scenarios. On the NCLEX, they are testing your clinical judgment under pressure. Can you sift through the distractions (shock symptoms) and go straight to the life-saving root cause intervention? If you understand the 'why'—that replacing the uterus stops the bleed and the shock—the answer becomes clear. You've got this!"
Uterine Inversion — A rare, life-threatening obstetric emergency where the uterine fundus collapses into the endometrial cavity, turning inside out and often protruding through the cervix. It causes severe hemorrhage, pain, and shock.
Johnson Maneuver — The primary first-line treatment for acute uterine inversion involving immediate manual replacement of the uterus by applying steady upward pressure on the protruding fundus to push it back through the cervix.
Neurogenic Shock — A distributive shock caused by sudden loss of sympathetic tone, leading to vasodilation and hypotension. In uterine inversion, it results from traction on the uterine ligaments and peritoneum.
Uterotonic — A medication (e.g., oxytocin, methylergonovine) that stimulates uterine contractions. Contraindicated in uterine inversion until after the uterus is manually replaced, as it can cause cervical contraction and trap the inverted fundus.
Postpartum Hemorrhage — Blood loss of >1000 mL or blood loss accompanied by signs/symptoms of hypovolemia within 24 hours of birth. Uterine inversion is a cause of "Tone"-related PPH.