RN Exam Practice
Physiological AdaptationQuestion 1145 of 2368

Soon after birth, the nurse palpates a soft uterus and sees increased vaginal bleeding. What should the nurse do first?

  1. Apply a heating pad to the abdomen and recheck in one hour
  2. Encourage the client to sleep and reassess at the next shift change
  3. Ask the client to lie flat and avoid moving
  4. Start the postpartum hemorrhage protocol and perform vigorous fundal massage
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Correct answer: Start the postpartum hemorrhage protocol and perform vigorous fundal massage

A soft uterus suggests atony, the most common cause of hemorrhage. Fundal massage stimulates contraction.

Source: Nursing Health Promotion (Open RN, Chippewa Valley Technical College, 2025), Labor & Delivery Care: Postpartum Hemorrhage. Licensed under CC BY 4.0.

Practice the topic "Physiological Adaptation"

Questions last reviewed: 18 October 2026