NU143 Unit 3 Assessment Write-Up Example

Course	NU143 Maternal Infant Nursing
Unit	Unit 3
Paper type	Assessment write-up
Length	About 610 words, 5 pages double-spaced
Format	APA 7 student paper
School	Purdue University Global
Program	BSN (prelicensure)
Updated	October 2026

Free sample paper for NU143 Unit 3

Twenty Minutes of Tracing Read in Words: An Assessment Write-Up of the Fetal Heart Rate Strip for a Composite First-Time Mother, 31, Being Induced at 40 Weeks and 3 Days, Using the Standard Categories

[Student Name]

Purdue University Global

NU143: Maternal Infant Nursing

Unit 3 Assessment Write-Up

[Instructor Name]

[Date]

The patient and tracing are composite; values are bracketed where illustrative, and interpretation follows the three-tier system used in most U.S. units.

What this part is doingThe tracing is described feature by feature in standard terms before any category is assigned, so the conclusion rests on what was seen.

Context

Patient [Ms. P.], composite, 31, gravida 1, para 0, at 40 weeks and 3 days, admitted for induction because she is past her due date. Oxytocin started [four] hours ago, now at [6] milliunits per minute. Cervix [4] cm dilated. Membranes intact. Maternal temperature [37.0] C, heart rate [84], blood pressure [116/70]. Strip reviewed from [1400] to [1420].

Uterine Activity

Contractions every [2] to [2.5] minutes, lasting [60] to [70] seconds, [5] in the last ten minutes, up from [3] an hour ago, palpating moderate, with the uterus soft between contractions. Tachysystole is defined as more than five contractions per ten-minute window, averaged across half an hour, so the rising frequency is noted and watched closely (Macones et al., 2008). Resting tone between contractions is checked by palpation, since a uterus that does not soften gives the placenta no time to refill.

Fetal Heart Rate

Baseline: [140] beats per minute, steady across the period. Variability: moderate, with fluctuations of about [10] to [15] beats per minute, the single most reassuring feature of a tracing because it reflects an oxygenated fetal nervous system. Accelerations: two in twenty minutes, each rising [15] beats per minute above baseline for at least [15] seconds. Decelerations: early decelerations with three contractions, gradual in onset, mirroring the contraction with the low point at its peak. No late or variable decelerations. Changes: none in baseline or variability over the period.

Moderate variability and accelerations together tell the nurse the fetus is not acidotic at this moment, whatever else the tracing shows.

Interpretation

All features fall within the definitions of a Category I tracing: normal baseline, moderate variability, accelerations present, and early decelerations, which reflect head compression and are not associated with poor oxygenation (Macones et al., 2008). Category I predicts normal fetal acid-base status at the time it is observed.

The uterine activity is the concern. Contractions are frequent, and if they reach more than five in ten minutes averaged over thirty, the uterus may not relax long enough between them for blood flow to the placenta to recover. With a Category I tracing, the usual response is to reduce oxytocin according to protocol rather than wait for the tracing to change.

What this part is doingThe interpretation separates a reassuring tracing from a concerning contraction pattern, so action is taken before the fetus shows strain.

Nursing Actions

Notified the nurse and provider of contraction frequency; oxytocin reduced to [4] milliunits per minute per protocol at [1425]; mother repositioned to her left side, a measure that improves placental blood flow (Perry et al., 2022); continuous monitoring maintained; reassessment of contraction frequency planned for [1455], with the strip to be reviewed again at least every [15] minutes while oxytocin is running, as the unit's protocol requires. She was told why the medicine was turned down, and that her baby's heart rate looked healthy. Her wish to walk and use a birthing ball was supported between assessments, since freedom of movement is encouraged in labor when monitoring allows (American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, 2019).

What this part is doingThe actions respond to the contraction pattern while the tracing is still reassuring, which is preventive rather than reactive.

Documentation Sentence

"[1400] to [1420]: FHR baseline 140, moderate variability, accelerations present, early decelerations, Category I. Contractions q 2 to 2.5 min, 60 to 70 sec, 5 in 10 min, moderate by palpation, resting tone soft. Oxytocin decreased to 4 mU/min per protocol for contraction frequency; provider notified."

References

American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. (2019). Approaches to limit intervention during labor and birth (Committee Opinion No. 766). Obstetrics & Gynecology, 133(2), e164-e173. https://doi.org/10.1097/AOG.0000000000003074

Macones, G. A., Hankins, G. D. V., Spong, C. Y., Hauth, J., & Moore, T. (2008). The 2008 National Institute of Child Health and Human Development workshop report on electronic fetal monitoring: Update on definitions, interpretation, and research guidelines. Obstetrics & Gynecology, 112(3), 661-666. https://doi.org/10.1097/AOG.0b013e3181841395

Perry, S. E., Hockenberry, M. J., Cashion, K., Alden, K. R., Olshansky, E., & Lowdermilk, D. L. (2022). Maternal child nursing care (7th ed.). Elsevier.

NU143 Unit 3 instructions, in plain terms

Unit 3 usually asks students to describe a fetal monitoring strip in words and interpret it. Prompts commonly want uterine activity described by frequency, duration, intensity and resting tone, the fetal heart rate described by baseline, variability, accelerations, decelerations and trends, a category assigned with justification, and the nursing actions taken. Instructors look for standard terminology used precisely, features described before conclusions are drawn, and attention to uterine activity as well as the fetal heart rate, since contractions can compromise placental blood flow before the tracing changes. The write-up should end with actions matched to the findings and a concise documentation entry another nurse could use. Values should be bracketed where illustrative.

How this NU143 Unit 3 example is built

The write-up opens with the context: gestational age, oxytocin dose, cervical change, membranes and maternal vital signs. Uterine activity is described next, including a frequency that has risen to five contractions in ten minutes and the definition of tachysystole, citing the national workshop report. The fetal heart rate follows, feature by feature, with the highlighted line on what moderate variability and accelerations together show. Interpretation assigns Category I and separates the reassuring tracing from the concerning contraction pattern, with a margin note. Nursing actions reduce oxytocin, reposition her and support movement, and a documentation sentence summarizes the twenty minutes. The documentation line uses the same terms as the description above it.

NU143 Unit 3 rubric: what earns full points

Fetal monitoring write-ups in NU 143 are scored on correct terminology, systematic description, accurate interpretation and appropriate action. Terminology credit requires standard definitions for baseline, variability, accelerations and each type of deceleration. Systematic description rewards covering uterine activity and every fetal heart rate feature in order before interpreting. Interpretation is weighted heavily and requires a correct category with reasons, plus recognition of uterine activity that needs attention even when the tracing is reassuring. Action points go to protocol-based responses and timely notification. A precise documentation sentence and sources in APA 7 complete the expectations for this assignment. The standard is met when another nurse can hold the strip beside the write-up and agree with every line. Graders also reward noticing trends across the twenty minutes.

NU143 Unit 3 help: mistakes that cost points

Monitoring write-ups often jump to a category without describing each feature, which hides how the conclusion was reached. Another frequent error is confusing early and late decelerations; early ones mirror the contraction and reflect head compression, while late ones begin after the peak and suggest reduced placental flow. Some papers ignore uterine activity, missing a rising contraction frequency during oxytocin. Many omit resting tone. Describe contractions fully, then each fetal heart rate feature, define what you see, assign the category with reasons, check whether contractions need a response, act according to protocol and write a documentation line using the same terms. Practice on strips until the terms come without looking them up. Then reread your description before you assign the category.

Get an NU143 Unit 3 example written to your instructions

Whether the Unit 3 strip shows an epidural-related drop in pressure, variable decelerations after membranes rupture, or minimal variability after a medication, the write-up reads that tracing feature by feature. Attach the case, the rubric and any NICHD template your section requires. First custom sample free, back in 24-48h. The paper above is an original model document written by our desk, not a submitted student paper and not an official Purdue University Global document.

More NU143 papers and BSN samples

NU143 Unit 3 questions, answered

Where can I find a free NU143 Unit 3 sample paper?

This page presents the full NU143 Unit 3 fetal monitoring write-up, describing uterine activity and every heart rate feature, assigning a category and recording actions and documentation, citing three sources. We can describe a practice strip from your course with you.

What makes a fetal heart rate tracing Category I?

A normal baseline of 110 to 160, moderate variability, no late or variable decelerations, and early decelerations or accelerations present or absent. It predicts normal fetal acid-base status at that time.

What are early decelerations?

Gradual decreases that mirror the contraction, with the lowest point at the contraction's peak. They reflect pressure on the fetal head and are not linked to poor oxygenation.

What is tachysystole in NU143 Unit 3?

More than five contractions in ten minutes, averaged over thirty minutes. It can limit the time the uterus relaxes between contractions, reducing blood flow to the placenta.

Why reduce oxytocin when the tracing is reassuring?

Rising contraction frequency can reduce placental blood flow before the fetal heart rate changes. Protocols reduce oxytocin early rather than waiting for the tracing to worsen.