Betamethasone and Dexamethasone
Included In This Lesson
Study Tools For Betamethasone and Dexamethasone
Outline
Overview
- Purpose: to accelerate fetal lung maturity and decrease severity of respiratory distress
- Given IM, 2-4 doses in divided doses over 48 hours
Nursing Points
General
- Given to moms that are in preterm labor
- Medications to accelerate the fetal lung development
- Delaying preterm labor for even 48 hours is helpful and allows time to give corticosteroids
- Note: benefits no longer justifiable at 35 weeks
Assessment
- Contractions
- Assess mother’s blood sugar
- Steroids = hyperglycemia
- Monitor for infection
Therapeutic Management
- Monitoring mother for infection signs
- Treat hyperglycemia
- Monitor labor and fetal heart rate
Nursing Concepts
- Fetal development
- Oxygenation
- Gas exchange
Patient Education
- Medication education
Transcript
In this lesson I will explain the use of betamethasone and dexamethasone and using them in practice.
Our biggest concern in preterm labor is the fetal lung maturity. So if a patient is at risk for preterm labor we can try to help this. We give corticosteroids such as betamethasone and dexamethasone to the mother and these will help accelerate the fetal lung maturity prior to delivery. These are given in several doses over the course of 48 hours. If a mom is in preterm labor or and we can prolong it with tocolytics for even 48 hours it is really helpful and allows time to give corticosteroids. Once a fetus is 35 weeks the lungs are thought of as “mature” so it is not necessary after this point if preterm labor starts or is a risk.
Assessment will involve assessing contractions. Is the mother in preterm labor or at risk to be? If so we can give a corticosteroid to accelerate fetal lung development. We now would assess the mother’s blood sugar. Remember we are giving her corticosteroids so this can increase her blood sugar and cause hyperglycemia.Steroids can increase infection risk to mother so we will be assessing for this.
Our management will be to monitor for any infection since steroids can suppress the immune system. We will also monitor and might even treat hyperglycemia caused by the corticosteroids. Education for this patient will just be what we are giving and the process of it being given over a few doses.
Human development, gas exchange, and oxygenation are the concepts because we are giving these medications to accelerate fetal lung development so when born the baby will be able to better oxygenate and perform gas exchange.
Betamethasone and dexamethasone are given when preterm labor is occurring or a preterm delivery is needed. It will accelerate fetal lung maturity. It is given over a few days in split doses and we must watch the client for hyperglycemia and infection.
Make sure you check out the resources attached to this lesson and review uses and side effects of the medications. Now, go out and be your best selves today. And, as always, happy nursing.
Plan 1
Concepts Covered:
- Cardiovascular
- Emergency Care of the Cardiac Patient
- Cardiac Disorders
- Circulatory System
- Nervous System
- Skeletal System
- Shock
- Shock
- Disorders of the Posterior Pituitary Gland
- Endocrine
- Disorders of Pancreas
- Disorders of the Thyroid & Parathyroid Glands
- Hematology
- Gastrointestinal
- Upper GI Disorders
- Liver & Gallbladder Disorders
- Newborn Complications
- Lower GI Disorders
- Multisystem
- Neurological
- Central Nervous System Disorders – Brain
- Renal
- Respiratory
- Urinary System
- Respiratory System
- Noninfectious Respiratory Disorder
- Test Taking Strategies
- Note Taking
- Basics of NCLEX
- Prefixes
- Suffixes
- Medication Administration
- Gastrointestinal Disorders
- Respiratory Disorders
- Pregnancy Risks
- Labor Complications
- Hematologic Disorders
- Fundamentals of Emergency Nursing
- Factors Influencing Community Health
- Delegation
- Perioperative Nursing Roles
- EENT Disorders
- Basics of Chemistry
- Adult
- Emergency Care of the Neurological Patient
- Acute & Chronic Renal Disorders
- Emergency Care of the Respiratory Patient
- Respiratory Emergencies
- Studying
- Substance Abuse Disorders
- Disorders of the Adrenal Gland
- Behavior
- Documentation and Communication
- Preoperative Nursing
- Endocrine System
- Legal and Ethical Issues
- Communication
- Understanding Society
- Immunological Disorders
- Infectious Disease Disorders
- Oncology Disorders
- Female Reproductive Disorders
- Fetal Development
- Terminology
- Anxiety Disorders
- Cognitive Disorders
- Musculoskeletal Trauma
- Intraoperative Nursing
- Tissues and Glands
- Vascular Disorders
- Renal Disorders
- Eating Disorders
- Prenatal Concepts
- Microbiology
- Male Reproductive Disorders
- Sexually Transmitted Infections
- Infectious Respiratory Disorder
- Depressive Disorders
- Personality Disorders
- Psychotic Disorders
- Trauma-Stress Disorders
- Peripheral Nervous System Disorders
- Integumentary Disorders
- Neurologic and Cognitive Disorders
- Integumentary Disorders
- Newborn Care
- Basics of Mathematics
- Statistics
- Labor and Delivery
- Proteins
- Emergency Care of the Trauma Patient
- Hematologic System
- Hematologic Disorders
- Developmental Considerations
- Digestive System
- Urinary Disorders
- Postpartum Care
- Basic
- Musculoskeletal Disorders
- Bipolar Disorders
- Metabolism
- Cardiovascular Disorders
- Concepts of Population Health
- Musculoskeletal Disorders
- EENT Disorders
- Postpartum Complications
- Basics of Human Biology
- Postoperative Nursing
- Neurological Emergencies
- Prioritization
- Disorders of Thermoregulation
- Writing
- Community Health Overview
- Dosage Calculations
- Neurological Trauma
- Concepts of Mental Health
- Health & Stress
- Endocrine and Metabolic Disorders
- Childhood Growth and Development
- Prenatal and Neonatal Growth and Development
- Concepts of Pharmacology
- Integumentary Important Points
- Emotions and Motivation
- Renal and Urinary Disorders
- Developmental Theories
- Reproductive System
- Adulthood Growth and Development
- Psychological Emergencies
- Growth & Development
- Basics of Sociology
- Somatoform Disorders
- Reading
- Intelligence and Language
- Oncologic Disorders
- Med Term Basic
- Med Term Whole
- Central Nervous System Disorders – Spinal Cord
- Muscular System
- Neonatal
- Learning Pharmacology
- Pediatric
- Psychological Disorders
- State of Consciousness
- Sensory System