After stopping oxytocin infusion due to late decelerations, what is the nurse's next action?

After stopping oxytocin infusion due to late decelerations, what is the nurse's next action?

• A. Place the woman in a side-lying position
• B. Increase the IV rate of the nonadditive solution
• C. Administer oxygen by mask
• D. Notify the nurse-midwife or health care provider

Answer: (B)

Late decelerations signal potential fetal hypoxia from uteroplacental insufficiency, so the priority is to improve placental blood flow and fetal oxygen delivery. After stopping the oxytocin infusion, increasing the IV fluid rate helps expand maternal circulating volume, which can enhance placental perfusion and reduce the duration or severity of decelerations. While providing oxygen and repositioning are important supportive steps, boosting IV fluids directly targets improving perfusion and oxygen delivery to the fetus, making it the next action to take. Notifying the provider remains essential, but the immediate patient-care action focused on stabilizing fetal status is to increase the IV rate of the nonadditive solution.