After an amniotomy, what is the nurse's priority nursing intervention?

Following an amniotomy, which is the artificial rupture of membranes during labor, the priority nursing intervention is to assess fetal heart tones. This is crucial because the rupture of membranes can change the environment for the fetus, potentially leading to complications like umbilical cord compression or changes in the fetal status. Monitoring fetal heart tones helps ensure that the fetus is tolerating labor well and can alert the healthcare team to signs of distress that may require immediate action.

While encouraging breathing exercises, assisting with ambulation, and positioning the client are all valuable nursing interventions during labor, they are not as immediate or critical as assessing fetal heart tones after an amniotomy. Fetal monitoring provides essential information about the well-being of the fetus in response to the changes in the uterine environment following the procedure, making it the top priority for the nurse.