The patient who experienced an emergency cesarean birth with her first child expresses anxiety about her upcoming birth. How can the nurse teaching the patient's prenatal classes help decrease her anxiety?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Encouraging the patient to practice progressive relaxation and use the technique in labor can decrease her anxiety. This technique involves tensing and then relaxing each muscle group in the body, which can help the patient focus on relaxation instead of anxiety during labor. Encouraging muscle tightening with each contraction may actually increase the patient's anxiety. Patterned breathing can be helpful for some patients, but may increase anxiety for others. Hiring a therapeutic massage therapist can be beneficial, but may not be an option for all patients due to cost or availability.

The Patient Who Experienced an Emergency Cesarean Birth with Her