When should the nurse decrease oxytocin during labor induction?

During labor induction, oxytocin is an important medication used to stimulate contractions. However, careful monitoring is necessary to ensure that contractions do not become excessively frequent and put the mother and baby at risk. When contractions occur more frequently than every 2 minutes, it can lead to uterine hyperstimulation, which may result in compromised blood flow to the placenta and fetal distress.

In this context, a frequency of contractions greater than every 2 minutes signifies an abnormal pattern that would warrant a decrease in oxytocin. This action helps to regulate the labor process, ensuring that contractions remain within a safe and effective range for both the mother and the fetus.

The other options reflect situations that do not necessarily indicate the need for a decrease in oxytocin. For instance, an intrauterine pressure of 60 mmHg is typically considered acceptable, while a fetal heart rate of 120 to 150 bpm is within the normal range, and contractions lasting 30 seconds are generally normal in length. Each of these factors should be monitored closely, but they do not alone warrant a reduction in oxytocin administration.