HESI OB/ MATERNITY EXAM AND PRACTICE
EXAM NEWEST 2026/ 2027 TEST BANK| OB/
MATERNITY HESI EXAM
QUESTION 1
A 38-week primigravida who works as a secretary and sits at a computer 8 hours
each day tells the nurse that her feet have begun to swell. Which instruction
would be most effective in preventing pooling of blood in the lower extremities?
A) Wear support stockings
B) Reduce salt in her diet
C) Move about every hour
D) Avoid constrictive clothing
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Pooling of blood in the lower extremities results from the enlarged
uterus exerting pressure on the pelvic veins. Moving about every hour (C) will
straighten out the pelvic veins and increase venous return. Support stockings (A)
increase venous return from varicose veins but are little help with swelling.
Reducing salt (B) might help with generalized edema but is not specific for
edematous lower extremities. Avoiding constrictive clothing (D) does not
specifically address venous return.
QUESTION 2
Client teaching is an important part of the maternity nurse's role. Which factor has
the greatest influence on successful teaching of the gravid client?
A) The client's readiness to learn
B) The client's educational background
C) The order in which information is presented
D) The extent to which the pregnancy was planned
,Correct Answer: A
Rationale: When teaching any client, readiness to learn (A) is the most important
criterion. For example, a client with severe morning sickness may not be ready to
learn about labor and delivery but is probably ready to learn about ways to relieve
morning sickness. Educational background (B) and order of presentation (C) may
influence learning but are not as influential as readiness. Even if a pregnancy is
planned (D), the client must be ready to learn the content.
QUESTION 3
During a prenatal visit, the nurse discusses with a client the effects of smoking on
the fetus. When compared with nonsmokers, mothers who smoke during
pregnancy tend to produce infants who have:
A) Lower Apgar scores
B) Lower birth weights
C) Respiratory distress
D) A higher rate of congenital anomalies
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Smoking is associated with low-birth-weight infants (B). Mothers are
encouraged not to smoke during pregnancy. To date, significant relationships have
not been found between smoking and lower Apgar scores (A), respiratory distress
(C), or a higher rate of congenital anomalies (D).
QUESTION 4
A 26-year-old, gravida 2, para 1 client is admitted to the hospital at 28-weeks
gestation in preterm labor. She is given 3 doses of terbutaline sulfate (Brethine)
0.25 mg subcutaneously to stop her labor contractions. The nurse plans to
monitor for which primary side effect of terbutaline sulfate?
,A) Drowsiness and bradycardia
B) Depressed reflexes and increased respirations
C) Tachycardia and a feeling of nervousness
D) A flushed, warm feeling and a dry mouth
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Terbutaline sulfate (Brethine), a beta-sympathomimetic drug,
stimulates beta-adrenergic receptors in the uterine muscle to stop contractions.
The beta-adrenergic agonist properties may cause tachycardia, increased cardiac
output, restlessness, headache, and a feeling of "nervousness" (C). Hypotension,
hypertension, and/or drowsiness may occur, but tachycardia is a primary side
effect. Depressed reflexes and increased respirations (B) and flushed, warm feeling
with dry mouth (D) are side effects of magnesium sulfate.
QUESTION 5
A mother who is breastfeeding her baby receives instructions from the nurse.
Which instruction is most effective to prevent nipple soreness?
A) Wear a cotton bra
B) Increase nursing time gradually
C) Correctly place the infant on the breast
D) Manually express a small amount of milk before nursing
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The most common cause of nipple soreness is incorrect positioning (C)
of the infant on the breast, such as grasping too little of the areola or grasping
only the nipple. Wearing a cotton bra (A) helps prevent chafing. Increasing nursing
time gradually (B) is important but not necessary for all women. Manually
expressing milk before nursing (D) helps soften an engorged breast and
encourages correct infant attachment but is not the best answer.
, QUESTION 6
A full-term infant is transferred to the nursery from labor and delivery. Which
information is most important for the nurse to receive when planning immediate
care for the newborn?
A) Length of labor and method of delivery
B) Infant's condition at birth and treatment received
C) Feeding method chosen by the parents
D) History of drugs given to the mother during labor
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Immediate care is most dependent on the infant's current status, such
as Apgar scores at 1 and 5 minutes, and any treatment or resuscitation that was
indicated (B). While the nurse needs information from options A, C, and D, the
priority is the infant's current condition.
QUESTION 7
In developing a teaching plan for expectant parents, the nurse plans to include
information about when the parents can expect the infant's fontanels to close.
The nurse bases the explanation on knowledge that for the normal newborn:
A) Anterior fontanel closes at 2 to 4 months and posterior by the end of the first
week
B) Anterior fontanel closes at 5 to 7 months and posterior by the end of the
second week
C) Anterior fontanel closes at 8 to 11 months and posterior by the end of the
first month
D) Anterior fontanel closes at 12 to 18 months and posterior by the end of the
second month
Correct Answer: D
EXAM NEWEST 2026/ 2027 TEST BANK| OB/
MATERNITY HESI EXAM
QUESTION 1
A 38-week primigravida who works as a secretary and sits at a computer 8 hours
each day tells the nurse that her feet have begun to swell. Which instruction
would be most effective in preventing pooling of blood in the lower extremities?
A) Wear support stockings
B) Reduce salt in her diet
C) Move about every hour
D) Avoid constrictive clothing
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Pooling of blood in the lower extremities results from the enlarged
uterus exerting pressure on the pelvic veins. Moving about every hour (C) will
straighten out the pelvic veins and increase venous return. Support stockings (A)
increase venous return from varicose veins but are little help with swelling.
Reducing salt (B) might help with generalized edema but is not specific for
edematous lower extremities. Avoiding constrictive clothing (D) does not
specifically address venous return.
QUESTION 2
Client teaching is an important part of the maternity nurse's role. Which factor has
the greatest influence on successful teaching of the gravid client?
A) The client's readiness to learn
B) The client's educational background
C) The order in which information is presented
D) The extent to which the pregnancy was planned
,Correct Answer: A
Rationale: When teaching any client, readiness to learn (A) is the most important
criterion. For example, a client with severe morning sickness may not be ready to
learn about labor and delivery but is probably ready to learn about ways to relieve
morning sickness. Educational background (B) and order of presentation (C) may
influence learning but are not as influential as readiness. Even if a pregnancy is
planned (D), the client must be ready to learn the content.
QUESTION 3
During a prenatal visit, the nurse discusses with a client the effects of smoking on
the fetus. When compared with nonsmokers, mothers who smoke during
pregnancy tend to produce infants who have:
A) Lower Apgar scores
B) Lower birth weights
C) Respiratory distress
D) A higher rate of congenital anomalies
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Smoking is associated with low-birth-weight infants (B). Mothers are
encouraged not to smoke during pregnancy. To date, significant relationships have
not been found between smoking and lower Apgar scores (A), respiratory distress
(C), or a higher rate of congenital anomalies (D).
QUESTION 4
A 26-year-old, gravida 2, para 1 client is admitted to the hospital at 28-weeks
gestation in preterm labor. She is given 3 doses of terbutaline sulfate (Brethine)
0.25 mg subcutaneously to stop her labor contractions. The nurse plans to
monitor for which primary side effect of terbutaline sulfate?
,A) Drowsiness and bradycardia
B) Depressed reflexes and increased respirations
C) Tachycardia and a feeling of nervousness
D) A flushed, warm feeling and a dry mouth
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: Terbutaline sulfate (Brethine), a beta-sympathomimetic drug,
stimulates beta-adrenergic receptors in the uterine muscle to stop contractions.
The beta-adrenergic agonist properties may cause tachycardia, increased cardiac
output, restlessness, headache, and a feeling of "nervousness" (C). Hypotension,
hypertension, and/or drowsiness may occur, but tachycardia is a primary side
effect. Depressed reflexes and increased respirations (B) and flushed, warm feeling
with dry mouth (D) are side effects of magnesium sulfate.
QUESTION 5
A mother who is breastfeeding her baby receives instructions from the nurse.
Which instruction is most effective to prevent nipple soreness?
A) Wear a cotton bra
B) Increase nursing time gradually
C) Correctly place the infant on the breast
D) Manually express a small amount of milk before nursing
Correct Answer: C
Rationale: The most common cause of nipple soreness is incorrect positioning (C)
of the infant on the breast, such as grasping too little of the areola or grasping
only the nipple. Wearing a cotton bra (A) helps prevent chafing. Increasing nursing
time gradually (B) is important but not necessary for all women. Manually
expressing milk before nursing (D) helps soften an engorged breast and
encourages correct infant attachment but is not the best answer.
, QUESTION 6
A full-term infant is transferred to the nursery from labor and delivery. Which
information is most important for the nurse to receive when planning immediate
care for the newborn?
A) Length of labor and method of delivery
B) Infant's condition at birth and treatment received
C) Feeding method chosen by the parents
D) History of drugs given to the mother during labor
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: Immediate care is most dependent on the infant's current status, such
as Apgar scores at 1 and 5 minutes, and any treatment or resuscitation that was
indicated (B). While the nurse needs information from options A, C, and D, the
priority is the infant's current condition.
QUESTION 7
In developing a teaching plan for expectant parents, the nurse plans to include
information about when the parents can expect the infant's fontanels to close.
The nurse bases the explanation on knowledge that for the normal newborn:
A) Anterior fontanel closes at 2 to 4 months and posterior by the end of the first
week
B) Anterior fontanel closes at 5 to 7 months and posterior by the end of the
second week
C) Anterior fontanel closes at 8 to 11 months and posterior by the end of the
first month
D) Anterior fontanel closes at 12 to 18 months and posterior by the end of the
second month
Correct Answer: D
