What is the most appropriate nursing action for a woman reporting dizziness when lying on her back during the third trimester?

During the third trimester of pregnancy, many women experience dizziness when lying on their backs due to the pressure placed on the inferior vena cava by the weight of the uterus. This condition is commonly referred to as supine hypotensive syndrome. The appropriate nursing action is to teach the woman to avoid lying on her back to mitigate this problem.

The rationale behind this action is that positioning the woman on her side (preferably the left side) can help improve blood flow to both the mother's heart and the fetus, thereby reducing the incidence of dizziness or faintness. By instructing the patient to adopt a more favorable position, the nurse empowers her to manage her symptoms and improve her comfort during pregnancy.

Educating the woman enables her to make informed decisions about her positioning and overall care. Other interventions, such as ordering an EKG or a nonstress test, might be necessary based on further assessment and clinical indicators, but the immediate and most effective nursing action is to provide guidance on positioning. Reporting the finding to the care provider could also be relevant but does not address the immediate needs of the patient experiencing discomfort.