NCC Certified Electronic Fetal Monitoring (C-EFM) Practice Exam

What is an appropriate nursing intervention for decreased variability in fetal heart rate?

1. Encouraging patient mobility

2. Providing oxygen to the mother

3. Initiating labor induction

4. Reducing external stimuli

The correct answer is: Providing oxygen to the mother

Providing oxygen to the mother is an appropriate nursing intervention for decreased variability in fetal heart rate. Decreased variability can be a sign of fetal distress or compromised oxygenation, and by administering oxygen to the mother, you can improve maternal oxygen levels and enhance fetal oxygenation. This intervention helps to ensure that the fetus receives adequate oxygen, which may help normalize the fetal heart rate pattern and improve variability. In contrast, the other interventions, while beneficial in their own contexts, may not directly address the immediate concern of decreased fetal heart rate variability as effectively. Encouraging patient mobility could potentially exacerbate the situation if the instability is due to fetal distress, and although initiating labor induction may be relevant in certain circumstances, it doesn’t specifically target the issue of variability. Reducing external stimuli can be helpful for a calm environment but is less direct in addressing potential hypoxia or fetal distress compared to providing oxygen.