For a patient at 39 weeks of gestation with a positive GBS culture, what is the appropriate nursing action during active labor?

Administering prophylactic antibiotics is the appropriate nursing action for a patient at 39 weeks of gestation with a positive Group B Streptococcus (GBS) culture during active labor. The presence of GBS in a pregnant woman's vaginal or rectal canal poses a risk of transmission to the newborn during delivery. To reduce the risk of early-onset GBS infection in the infant, it is standard practice to administer intravenous antibiotics during labor to women who are GBS positive.

The antibiotics are typically administered as soon as labor begins or when the membranes rupture. Ideally, the antibiotic should be given at least four hours before delivery for maximum effectiveness in preventing neonatal infection. This proactive approach is essential to protect the health of the newborn, as GBS can lead to serious complications like sepsis or meningitis.

Monitoring the fetal heart rate and considering the timing of interventions are important, but they do not address the immediate risk of GBS transmission to the infant. Instructing the patient to rest quietly does not align with the necessary medical intervention required for a GBS-positive patient in labor and does not consider the urgency of protecting the newborn from potential infection.