MATERNITY HESI ANSWERS AND QUESTIONS SET
A+
✔✔An expectant father tells the nurse he fears that his wife "is losing her mind." He
states she is constantly rubbing her abdomen and talking to the baby, and that she
actually reprimands the baby when it moves too much. What recommendation should
the nurse make to this expectant father?
A. Reassure him that these are normal reactions to pregnancy and suggest that he
discuss his concerns with the childbirth education nurse.
B. Help him to understand that his wife is experiencing normal symptoms of
ambivalence about the pregnancy and no action is needed.
C. Ask him to observe his wife's behavior carefully for the next few weeks and report
any similar behavior to the nurse at the next prenatal visit.
D. Let him know that these behaviors are part of normal maternal/fetal bonding which
occur once the mother feels fetal movement. - ✔✔D. Let him know that these behaviors
are part of normal maternal/fetal bonding which occur once the mother feels fetal
movement.
✔✔A new mother who has just had her first baby says to the nurse, "I saw the baby in
the recovery room. She sure has a funny looking head" Which response by the nurse is
best?
A. "This is not an unusual shaped head, especially for a first baby."
B. "It may look funny to you, but newborn babies are often born with heads like your
baby's."
C. "That is normal, the head will return to a round shape within 7 to 10 days."
D. "Your pelvis was too small, so the baby's head had to adjust to the birth canal." -
✔✔C. "That is normal, the head will return to a round shape within 7 to 10 days."
✔✔A new mother asks the nurse, "How do I know that my daughter is getting enough
breast milk?" Which explanation will the nurse provide?
A. "weigh the baby daily, and if she is gaining weight, she is eating enough."
B. "your milk is sufficient if the baby is voiding pale straw-colored urine 6-10 times/day."
C. "Offer the baby extra bottle milk after her feeding and see if she is still hungry."
,D. "If you're concerned, you might consider bottle feeding so that you can monitor her
intake." - ✔✔B. "your milk is sufficient if the baby is voiding pale straw-colored urine 6-
10 times/day."
✔✔A client who gave birth to a healthy 8 pound infant 3 hours ago is admitted to the
postpartum unit. Which nursing plan is best in assisting this mother to bond with her
newborn infant?
A. encourage the mother to provide total care for her infant
B. provide privacy so the mother can develop a relationship with the infant.
C. encourage the father to provide most of the infant's care during hospitalization.
D. Meet the mother's physical needs and demonstrate warmth toward the infant. - ✔✔D.
Meet the mother's physical needs and demonstrate warmth toward the infant.
✔✔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 complaint would indicate to the nurse that that woman's fallopian tubes are
patient?
A. back pain
B. abdominal pain
C. shoulder pain
D. leg cramps - ✔✔C. shoulder pain
✔✔Which nurse intervention would be most helpful in relieving postpartum uterine
contractions or "afterpains?"
A. lying prone with a pillow on the abdomen
B. using a breast pump
C. massaging the abdomen
D. giving oxytocic medications - ✔✔A. lying prone with a pillow on the abdomen
✔✔Which maternal behavior is the nurse most likely to see when a new mother
receives her infant for the first time?
A. she eagerly reaches for the infant, undresses the infant, and examines the infant
completely.
B. Her arms and hands receive the infant and she then traces the infant's profile with
her fingertips
C. Her arms and hands receive the infant and she then cuddles the infant to her own
body.
D. She eagerly reaches for the infant and then holds the infant close to her own body -
✔✔B. Her arms and hands receive the infant and she then traces the infant's profile with
her fingertips
✔✔On admission to the prenatal clinic, a 23-year old woman tells the nurse that her last
menstrual period began on February 15, and that previously her periods were regular.
Her pregnancy test is positive. This client's expected date of delivery (EDD) would be
A. November 22
, B. November 8
C. December 22
D. October 22 - ✔✔A. November 22
✔✔The nurse is counseling a woman who wants to become pregnant. The woman tells
the nurse that she has a 36-day menstrual cycle and the first day of her last menstrual
period was January 8. The nurse correctly calculates that the woman's next fertile
period will be
A. January 14-15
B. January 22-23
C. January 30-31
D. February 6-7 - ✔✔B. January 30-31. This woman can expect her next period to begin
36 days from the first day of her last menstrual period - the cycle begins at the first day
of the cycle and continues to the first day of the next cycle. Her next period would,
therefore, began on February 13. Ovulation occurs 14 days before the first day of the
menstrual period. Therefore, ovulation for this woman would occur January 31.
✔✔A client at 32 weeks gestation is hospitalized with severe pregnancy-induced
hypertension (PIH), and magnesium sulfate is prescribed to control symptoms. Which
assessment finding would indicate that therapeutic drug level has been achieved?
A. 4+ reflexes
B. urinary output of 50 mL per hour
C. a decrease in respiratory rate from 24 to 16
D. a decreased body temperature - ✔✔C. a decrease in respiratory rate from 24 to 16
✔✔Twenty minutes after a continuous epidural anesthetic is administered, a laboring
client's blood pressure drops from 120/80 to 90/60. What action will the nurse take?
A. notify the healthcare provider or anesthesiologist immediately.
B. continue to assess the blood pressure q5 minutes
C. place the woman in a lateral position
D. turn off the continuous epidural - ✔✔C. place the woman in a lateral position. The
nurse should immediately turn the woman to a lateral position, place a pillow or wedge
under the right hip to deflect the uterus, increase the rate of the main line IV infusion,
and administer oxygen by face mask at 10-12 L/min. If the blood pressure remains low,
especially if it further decreases ,the anesthesiologist/healthcare provider should be
notified immediately. Turning off the continuous epidural may also be warranted, but
such action is based on hospital protocol.
✔✔A client at 28 weeks gestation calls the antepartal clinical 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?
A. come to the clinic today for an ultrasound
B. go immediately to the emergency room
C. lie on your left side for about one hour and see if the bleeding stops
A+
✔✔An expectant father tells the nurse he fears that his wife "is losing her mind." He
states she is constantly rubbing her abdomen and talking to the baby, and that she
actually reprimands the baby when it moves too much. What recommendation should
the nurse make to this expectant father?
A. Reassure him that these are normal reactions to pregnancy and suggest that he
discuss his concerns with the childbirth education nurse.
B. Help him to understand that his wife is experiencing normal symptoms of
ambivalence about the pregnancy and no action is needed.
C. Ask him to observe his wife's behavior carefully for the next few weeks and report
any similar behavior to the nurse at the next prenatal visit.
D. Let him know that these behaviors are part of normal maternal/fetal bonding which
occur once the mother feels fetal movement. - ✔✔D. Let him know that these behaviors
are part of normal maternal/fetal bonding which occur once the mother feels fetal
movement.
✔✔A new mother who has just had her first baby says to the nurse, "I saw the baby in
the recovery room. She sure has a funny looking head" Which response by the nurse is
best?
A. "This is not an unusual shaped head, especially for a first baby."
B. "It may look funny to you, but newborn babies are often born with heads like your
baby's."
C. "That is normal, the head will return to a round shape within 7 to 10 days."
D. "Your pelvis was too small, so the baby's head had to adjust to the birth canal." -
✔✔C. "That is normal, the head will return to a round shape within 7 to 10 days."
✔✔A new mother asks the nurse, "How do I know that my daughter is getting enough
breast milk?" Which explanation will the nurse provide?
A. "weigh the baby daily, and if she is gaining weight, she is eating enough."
B. "your milk is sufficient if the baby is voiding pale straw-colored urine 6-10 times/day."
C. "Offer the baby extra bottle milk after her feeding and see if she is still hungry."
,D. "If you're concerned, you might consider bottle feeding so that you can monitor her
intake." - ✔✔B. "your milk is sufficient if the baby is voiding pale straw-colored urine 6-
10 times/day."
✔✔A client who gave birth to a healthy 8 pound infant 3 hours ago is admitted to the
postpartum unit. Which nursing plan is best in assisting this mother to bond with her
newborn infant?
A. encourage the mother to provide total care for her infant
B. provide privacy so the mother can develop a relationship with the infant.
C. encourage the father to provide most of the infant's care during hospitalization.
D. Meet the mother's physical needs and demonstrate warmth toward the infant. - ✔✔D.
Meet the mother's physical needs and demonstrate warmth toward the infant.
✔✔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 complaint would indicate to the nurse that that woman's fallopian tubes are
patient?
A. back pain
B. abdominal pain
C. shoulder pain
D. leg cramps - ✔✔C. shoulder pain
✔✔Which nurse intervention would be most helpful in relieving postpartum uterine
contractions or "afterpains?"
A. lying prone with a pillow on the abdomen
B. using a breast pump
C. massaging the abdomen
D. giving oxytocic medications - ✔✔A. lying prone with a pillow on the abdomen
✔✔Which maternal behavior is the nurse most likely to see when a new mother
receives her infant for the first time?
A. she eagerly reaches for the infant, undresses the infant, and examines the infant
completely.
B. Her arms and hands receive the infant and she then traces the infant's profile with
her fingertips
C. Her arms and hands receive the infant and she then cuddles the infant to her own
body.
D. She eagerly reaches for the infant and then holds the infant close to her own body -
✔✔B. Her arms and hands receive the infant and she then traces the infant's profile with
her fingertips
✔✔On admission to the prenatal clinic, a 23-year old woman tells the nurse that her last
menstrual period began on February 15, and that previously her periods were regular.
Her pregnancy test is positive. This client's expected date of delivery (EDD) would be
A. November 22
, B. November 8
C. December 22
D. October 22 - ✔✔A. November 22
✔✔The nurse is counseling a woman who wants to become pregnant. The woman tells
the nurse that she has a 36-day menstrual cycle and the first day of her last menstrual
period was January 8. The nurse correctly calculates that the woman's next fertile
period will be
A. January 14-15
B. January 22-23
C. January 30-31
D. February 6-7 - ✔✔B. January 30-31. This woman can expect her next period to begin
36 days from the first day of her last menstrual period - the cycle begins at the first day
of the cycle and continues to the first day of the next cycle. Her next period would,
therefore, began on February 13. Ovulation occurs 14 days before the first day of the
menstrual period. Therefore, ovulation for this woman would occur January 31.
✔✔A client at 32 weeks gestation is hospitalized with severe pregnancy-induced
hypertension (PIH), and magnesium sulfate is prescribed to control symptoms. Which
assessment finding would indicate that therapeutic drug level has been achieved?
A. 4+ reflexes
B. urinary output of 50 mL per hour
C. a decrease in respiratory rate from 24 to 16
D. a decreased body temperature - ✔✔C. a decrease in respiratory rate from 24 to 16
✔✔Twenty minutes after a continuous epidural anesthetic is administered, a laboring
client's blood pressure drops from 120/80 to 90/60. What action will the nurse take?
A. notify the healthcare provider or anesthesiologist immediately.
B. continue to assess the blood pressure q5 minutes
C. place the woman in a lateral position
D. turn off the continuous epidural - ✔✔C. place the woman in a lateral position. The
nurse should immediately turn the woman to a lateral position, place a pillow or wedge
under the right hip to deflect the uterus, increase the rate of the main line IV infusion,
and administer oxygen by face mask at 10-12 L/min. If the blood pressure remains low,
especially if it further decreases ,the anesthesiologist/healthcare provider should be
notified immediately. Turning off the continuous epidural may also be warranted, but
such action is based on hospital protocol.
✔✔A client at 28 weeks gestation calls the antepartal clinical 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?
A. come to the clinic today for an ultrasound
B. go immediately to the emergency room
C. lie on your left side for about one hour and see if the bleeding stops
