A patient who has been in labor for 20 hours is being prepared for an emergent cesarean birth. Which ...

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A patient who enters surgery with a lower than usual blood volume will experience the effect of surgical blood loss more than a patient who has a normal blood volume. A patient who has had a long labor before a cesarean birth is scheduled may fall into this category, because the patient may have had little to eat or drink for almost 24 hours. Intravenous fluid replacement needs to be initiated preoperatively and continued postoperatively to prevent a serious fluid or electrolyte imbalance. Since surgery is imminent, the patient should be kept at nothing by mouth status, which means no ice chips or clear liquids. An antiemetic is not indicated for the patient at this time.