Mixed Deck — All Maternal Newborn Nursing Test Topics Flashcards
100 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 20 Mixed Deck — All Maternal Newborn Nursing Test Topics flashcards as text
At 12 hours of life, a newborn has not passed meconium. Which assessment finding would most concern the nurse?
Answer: Abdominal distention with absent bowel sounds
Abdominal distension with absent bowel sounds in a newborn who has not passed meconium may indicate intestinal obstruction such as Hirschsprung disease or meconium ileus.
A client at 24 weeks gestation with no prior history of diabetes has a 1-hour glucose challenge test result of 152 mg/dL. The nurse explains that the next step is:
Answer: Perform a 3-hour oral glucose tolerance test
A 1-hour GCT value ≥140 mg/dL is a positive screen that requires confirmation with a 3-hour 100-g OGTT for gestational diabetes diagnosis.
The nurse is performing a newborn assessment at 2 hours of life. Which finding requires immediate notification of the healthcare provider?
Answer: Nasal flaring and expiratory grunting
Nasal flaring and expiratory grunting are signs of respiratory distress in the newborn and require prompt medical evaluation.
A patient in active labor has an epidural. Her blood pressure drops to 88/52 mmHg. What is the nurse's priority intervention?
Answer: Position the patient in left lateral tilt and increase IV fluids
Epidural-induced hypotension is treated first with left lateral positioning to relieve aortocaval compression and IV fluid bolus to restore maternal blood pressure.
A postpartum patient requires methylergonovine (Methergine) for uterine atony after vaginal delivery. Which condition is an absolute contraindication?
Answer: Hypertension with blood pressure of 160/110 mmHg
Methylergonovine causes vasoconstriction and is absolutely contraindicated in hypertensive patients because it can precipitate severe hypertension, stroke, or myocardial infarction.
A full-term newborn is diagnosed with transient tachypnea of the newborn (TTN). Which delivery method puts a newborn at higher risk for TTN?
Answer: Elective cesarean section without labor
TTN occurs when fetal lung fluid is not adequately expelled; labor contractions and passage through the birth canal compress the chest and help clear lung fluid — skipped in elective cesarean.
Which maternal complication of gestational diabetes (GDM) places the fetus at greatest risk for macrosomia?
Answer: Chronic maternal hyperglycemia stimulating fetal insulin production and fat deposition
Chronic hyperglycemia in GDM causes glucose to cross the placenta, stimulating fetal hyperinsulinemia, which drives excessive fat storage and macrosomia.
A nurse is caring for a client receiving magnesium sulfate for severe preeclampsia. Which assessment finding requires the nurse to withhold the next dose?
Answer: Respiratory rate of 10 breaths/min
A respiratory rate below 12 breaths/min is a sign of magnesium toxicity and the infusion must be stopped immediately.
A nurse is developing a plan of care for a client diagnosed with postpartum depression. Which intervention is the priority?
Answer: Assess for suicidal ideation and risk of harm to self or infant
Safety assessment for suicidal ideation or risk of harm to the infant is always the priority intervention when caring for a client with postpartum depression.
A client at 18 weeks gestation asks about amniocentesis. The nurse explains the PRIMARY purpose of amniocentesis in the second trimester is to:
Answer: Evaluate fetal chromosomal abnormalities
Second-trimester amniocentesis is primarily used for genetic diagnosis of chromosomal abnormalities such as Down syndrome (trisomy 21).
Which newborn screening test uses a heel stick blood sample collected on filter paper?
Answer: Newborn metabolic screening (PKU/state metabolic panel)
The newborn metabolic screen (e.g., for PKU, congenital hypothyroidism, galactosemia) uses dried blood spots on filter paper obtained via heel stick, ideally at 24–48 hours after birth.
Which finding during a postpartum home visit requires the nurse to immediately contact the healthcare provider?
Answer: The mother states she has thoughts of harming herself or the infant
Suicidal ideation or thoughts of harming the infant constitute a psychiatric emergency requiring immediate provider notification and intervention.
Which fetal heart rate pattern requires the nurse to immediately notify the healthcare provider and prepare for possible emergency delivery?
Answer: Prolonged deceleration lasting more than 3 minutes
A prolonged deceleration lasting more than 3 minutes indicates significant fetal compromise and requires immediate intervention to prevent fetal hypoxia.
A patient at 39 weeks gestation is admitted in active labor. Her GBS (Group B Streptococcus) status is positive. What is the priority nursing intervention?
Answer: Initiate IV antibiotic prophylaxis as ordered
GBS-positive patients require IV antibiotic prophylaxis (typically penicillin G) during labor to prevent vertical transmission to the neonate.
Which laboratory finding is most concerning in a client at 34 weeks gestation with suspected preeclampsia?
Answer: Platelet count of 85,000/mm³
A platelet count below 100,000/mm³ suggests HELLP syndrome, a severe complication of preeclampsia requiring immediate intervention.
Which laboratory value requires the most urgent follow-up in a postpartum client on day 1?
Answer: Platelet count 48,000/mm³
A platelet count of 48,000/mm³ is critically low and increases risk for life-threatening hemorrhage, requiring immediate provider notification.
Which assessment finding indicates successful postpartum adaptation of the urinary system?
Answer: Voiding at least 150 mL with first void after delivery
The client should void spontaneously within 6–8 hours postpartum; a void of at least 150 mL suggests adequate bladder function.
A client at 36 weeks gestation presents with sudden, severe abdominal pain, a rigid board-like abdomen, and dark red vaginal bleeding. Fetal heart tones are difficult to auscultate. The nurse suspects:
Answer: Severe abruptio placentae
Sudden severe abdominal pain, board-like uterine rigidity, dark red vaginal bleeding, and compromised fetal heart tones are classic signs of severe abruptio placentae.
A newborn requires resuscitation in the delivery room. Epinephrine is administered via the endotracheal tube. What is the correct dose range?
Answer: 0.01–0.03 mg/kg of 1:10,000 concentration via IV/IO (0.05–0.1 mg/kg via ETT)
Per NRP guidelines, IV/IO epinephrine dose is 0.01–0.03 mg/kg of 1:10,000 solution; the endotracheal dose is higher (0.05–0.1 mg/kg) due to less reliable absorption.
A postpartum patient develops a temperature of 38.4°C (101.1°F) on day 2 after a cesarean birth. She has uterine tenderness and foul-smelling lochia. What does this indicate?
Answer: Endometritis requiring antibiotic therapy
Fever after the first 24 hours postpartum with uterine tenderness and malodorous lochia is characteristic of endometritis, a uterine infection requiring broad-spectrum antibiotic treatment.