HESI REVIEW TEST-MATERNITY,
EVOLVE OBSTETRICS/MATERNITY
PRACTICE EXAM, HESI MATERNITY
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS
The nurse observes a new mother avoiding eye contact with her newborn. Which action
should the nurse take? - Answer-Observe the mother for other attachment behaviors.
The nurse should explain to a 30-year-old gravid client that alpha fetoprotein testing is
recommended for which purpose? - Answer-Screen for neural tube defects.
What action should the nurse implement to decrease the client's risk for hemorrhage
after a cesarean section? - Answer-Check the firmness of the uterus every 15 minutes.
The nurse attempts to help an unmarried teenager deal with her feelings following a
spontaneous abortion at 8-weeks gestation. What type of emotional response should
the nurse anticipate? - Answer-Grief related to her perceptions about the loss of this
child.
The nurse is assessing a 3-day old infant with a cephalohematoma in the newborn
nursery. Which assessment finding should the nurse report to the healthcare provider? -
Answer-Yellowish tinge to the skin.
When assessing a client who is at 12-weeks gestation, the nurse recommends that she
and her husband consider attending childbirth preparation classes. When is the best
time for the couple to attend these classes? - Answer-At 30-weeks gestation is closest
to the time parents would be ready for such classes. Learning is facilitated by an
interested pupil! The couple is most interested in childbirth toward the end of the
pregnancy when they are psychologically ready for the termination of the pregnancy,
and the birth of their child is an immediate concern.
A client at 32-weeks gestation is diagnosed with preeclampsia. Which assessment
finding is most indicative of an impending convulsion? - Answer-Epigastric pain (C) is
indicative of an edematous liver or pancreas which is an early warning sign of an
impending convulsion (eclampsia) and requires immediate attention.
A client is admitted with the diagnosis of total placenta previa. Which finding is most
important for the nurse to report to the healthcare provider immediately? - Answer-
Onset of uterine contractions.
,A client who is in the second trimester of pregnancy tells the nurse that she wants to
use herbal therapy. Which response is best for the nurse to provide? - Answer-It is
important that you want to take part in your care.
A couple, concerned because the woman has not been able to conceive, is referred to a
healthcare provider for a fertility workup and a hysterosalpingography is scheduled.
Which postprocedure complaint indicates that the fallopian tubes are patent? - Answer-
If the tubes are patent (open), pain is referred to the shoulder (C) from a
subdiaphragmatic collection of peritoneal dye/gas.
A client who delivered an infant an hour ago tells the nurse that she feels wet
underneath her buttock. The nurse notes that both perineal pads are completely
saturated and the client is lying in a 6-inch diameter pool of blood. Which action should
the nurse implement next? - Answer-Palpate the firmness of the fundus.
One hour after giving birth to an 8-pound infant, a client's lochia rubra has increased
from small to large and her fundus is boggy despite massage. The client's pulse is 84
beats/minute and blood pressure is 156/96. The healthcare provider prescribes
Methergine 0.2 mg IM × 1. What action should the nurse take immediately? - Answer-
Methergine is contraindicated for clients with elevated blood pressure, so the nurse
should contact the healthcare provider and question the prescription (D).
A client at 32-weeks gestation comes to the prenatal clinic with complaints of pedal
edema, dyspnea, fatigue, and a moist cough. Which question is most important for the
nurse to ask this client? - Answer-Do you have a history of rheumatic fever? Clients with
a history of rheumatic fever (D) may develop mitral valve prolapse, which increases the
risk for cardiac decompensation due to the increased blood volume that occurs during
pregnancy, so obtaining information about this client's health history is a priority.
A primigravida at 40-weeks gestation is receiving oxytocin (Pitocin) to augment labor.
Which adverse effect should the nurse monitor for during the infusion of Pitocin? -
Answer-Pitocin causes the uterine myofibril to contract, so unless the infusion is closely
monitored, the client is at risk for hyperstimulation (B) which can lead to tetanic
contractions, uterine rupture, and fetal distress or demise.
A 35-year-old primigravida client with severe preeclampsia is receiving magnesium
sulfate via continuous IV infusion. Which assessment data indicates to the nurse that
the client is experiencing magnesium sulfate toxicity? - Answer-Urine output 90 ml/4
hours. Urine outputs of less than 100 ml/4 hours (D), absent DTRs, and a respiratory
rate of less than 12 breaths/minute are cardinal signs of magnesium sulfate toxicity.
The nurse is planning preconception care for a new female client. Which information
should the nurse provide the client? - Answer-Encourage healthy lifestyles for families
desiring pregnancy. Planning for pregnancy begins with healthy lifestyles in the family
(D) which is an intervention in preconception care that targets an overall goal for a client
preparing for pregnancy.
,A multigravida client at 41-weeks gestation presents in the labor and delivery unit after a
non-stress test indicated that the fetus is experiencing some difficulties in utero. Which
diagnostic test should the nurse prepare the client for additional information about fetal
status? - Answer-Biophysical profile (BPP). BPP (A) provides data regarding fetal risk
surveillance by examining 5 areas: fetal breathing movements, fetal movements,
amniotic fluid volume, and fetal tone and heart rate.
A client with no prenatal care arrives at the labor unit screaming, "The baby is coming!"
The nurse performs a vaginal examination that reveals the cervix is 3 centimeters
dilated and 75% effaced. What additional information is most important for the nurse to
obtain? - Answer-Date of last normal menstrual period. Evaluating the gestation of the
pregnancy (C) takes priority. If the fetus is preterm and the fetal heart pattern is
reassuring, the healthcare provider may attempt to prolong the pregnancy and
administer corticosteroids to mature the lungs of the fetus.
A client at 28-weeks gestation calls the antepartal clinic and states that she is
experiencing a small amount of vaginal bleeding which she describes as bright red. She
further states that she is not experiencing any uterine contractions or abdominal pain.
What instruction should the nurse provide? - Answer-Come to the clinic today for an
ultrasound. Third trimester painless bleeding is characteristic of a placenta previa.
Bright red bleeding may be intermittent, occur in gushes, or be continuous. Rarely is the
first incidence life-threatening, nor cause for hypovolemic shock. Diagnosis is confirmed
by transabdominal ultrasound (A).
A new mother is afraid to touch her baby's head for fear of hurting the "large soft spot."
Which explanation should the nurse give to this anxious client? - Answer-There's a
strong, tough membrane there to protect the baby so you need not be afraid to wash or
comb his/her hair.
During labor, the nurse determines that a full-term client is demonstrating late
decelerations. In which sequence should the nurse implement these nursing actions?
(Arrange in order.) - Answer-Reposition the client.
Provide oxygen via face mask.
Increase IV fluid.
Call the healthcare provider.
An off-duty nurse finds a woman in a supermarket parking lot delivering an infant while
her husband is screaming for someone to help his wife. Which intervention has the
highest priority? - Answer-Put the newborn to breast. Putting the newborn to breast (D)
will help contract the uterus and prevent a postpartum hemorrhage--this intervention
has the highest priority.
A 40-week gestation primigravida client is being induced with an oxytocin (Pitocin)
secondary infusion and complains of pain in her lower back. Which intervention should
, the nurse implement? - Answer-Apply firm pressure to sacral area. The discomfort of
back labor can be minimized by the application of firm pressure to the sacral area
A multigravida client arrives at the labor and delivery unit and tells the nurse that her
bag of water has broken. The nurse identifies the presence of meconium fluid on the
perineum and determines the fetal heart rate is between 140 to 150 beats/minute. What
action should the nurse implement next? - Answer-Complete a sterile vaginal exam. A
vaginal exam (A) should be performed after the rupture of membranes to determine the
presence of a prolapsed cord.
The nurse is assessing a client who is having a non-stress test (NST) at 41-weeks
gestation. The nurse determines that the client is not having contractions, the fetal heart
rate (FHR) baseline is 144 bpm, and no FHR accelerations are occurring. What action
should the nurse take? - Answer-Ask the client if she has felt any fetal movement.
Just after delivery, a new mother tells the nurse, "I was unsuccessful breastfeeding my
first child, but I would like to try with this baby." Which intervention is best for the nurse
to implement first? - Answer-Provide assistance to the mother to begin breastfeeding as
soon as possible after delivery.
A healthcare provider informs the charge nurse of a labor and delivery unit that a client
is coming to the unit with suspected abruptio placentae. What findings should the
charge nurse expect the client to demonstrate? (Select all that apply.) - Answer-Dark,
red vaginal bleeding.
Increased uterine irritability.
A rigid abdomen.
The nurse is teaching care of the newborn to a group of prospective parents and
describes the need for administering antibiotic ointment into the eyes of the newborn.
Which infectious organism will this treatment prevent from harming the infant? - Answer-
Gonorrhea. Erythromycin ointment is instilled into the lower conjunctiva of each eye
within 2 hours after birth to prevent ophthalmica neonatorum, an infection caused by
gonorrhea, and inclusion conjunctivitis, an infection caused by chlamydia (C).
In evaluating the respiratory effort of a one-hour-old infant using the Silverman-
Anderson Index, the nurse determines the infant has synchronized chest and abdominal
movement, just visible lower chest retractions, just visible xiphoid retractions, minimal
and transient nasal flaring, and an expiratory grunt heard only on auscultation. What
Silverman-Anderson score should the nurse assign to this infant? (Enter numeral value
only.) - Answer-A Silverman-Anderson Index has five categories with scores of 0, 1, or
2. The total score ranges from 0 to 10. Four of the these assessment findings should
receive a score of 1, and the 5th finding (synchronized chest and abdominal movement)
receives a score of 0. Therefore, the total score is 4. A total score of 0 means the infant
has no dyspnea, a total score of 10 indicates maximum respiratory distress.
