Intrapartum Nursing: Labor and Delivery Flashcards
6 cards from real Maternal Newborn Nursing Test practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 6 Intrapartum Nursing: Labor and Delivery flashcards as text
A client in active labor has a fetal heart rate (FHR) baseline of 170 bpm for 15 minutes. Which nursing action is the priority?
Answer: Notify the provider immediately
A baseline FHR above 160 bpm for ≥10 minutes is tachycardia and requires immediate provider notification to evaluate for infection, fetal distress, or medication effects.
Which finding during the second stage of labor indicates the nurse should prepare for an imminent delivery?
Answer: Crowning of the fetal head
Crowning, where the largest diameter of the fetal head is visible at the vaginal introitus without retraction between contractions, signals that delivery is imminent.
A client at 39 weeks reports regular contractions every 4 minutes lasting 60 seconds. Cervical exam shows 5 cm dilation, 80% effacement, and -1 station. What stage and phase of labor is she in?
Answer: First stage, active phase
Active phase of the first stage of labor is defined by cervical dilation from 6 cm, but 5 cm with regular contractions and significant effacement is consistent with active labor in many clinical frameworks.
During labor, a nurse notes variable decelerations on the fetal monitor. What is the first nursing intervention?
Answer: Change the maternal position
Variable decelerations are caused by umbilical cord compression; repositioning the mother alleviates cord compression and is always the first intervention.
What does a late deceleration pattern on the fetal monitor indicate?
Answer: Uteroplacental insufficiency
Late decelerations reflect decreased placental perfusion and uteroplacental insufficiency, which reduces fetal oxygenation during uterine contractions.
A nurse is assessing a client in labor and notes the umbilical cord is visible at the vaginal introitus. Which action should be taken FIRST?
Answer: Apply continuous upward pressure on the presenting part to relieve cord compression
Umbilical cord prolapse is an obstetric emergency; the nurse must manually elevate the presenting part off the cord to relieve compression while calling for help and preparing for emergency delivery.