A New Patient and Her Partner Arrive on the Labor

A new patient and her partner arrive on the labor, delivery, recovery, and postpartum unit for the birth of their first child. You apply the electronic fetal monitor (EFM) to the woman. Her partner asks you to explain what is printing on the graph, referring to the EFM strip. He wants to know what the baby's heart rate should be. Your best response is:

A) "Don't worry about that machine; that's my job."
B) "The top line graphs the baby's heart rate. Generally the heart rate is between 110 and 160. The heart rate will fluctuate in response to what is happening during labor."
C) "The top line graphs the baby's heart rate, and the bottom line lets me know how strong the contractions are."
D) "Your doctor will explain all of that later."