NUR 168 Exam 2 | Maternal-Newborn | Independent Study Resource
GALEN NUR 168
Exam 2 Maternal-Newborn Study Guide
Integrated Concepts of Registered Nursing Practice
Antepartum • Pregnancy Assessment • Pregnancy Complications
Intrapartum • Postpartum • Care of the Newborn
2026/2027 Updated Study Resource
Structured to the current 2026 Galen NUR 168 course description and the publicly indexed NUR 168 Exam
2 blueprint framework. Includes high-yield clinical judgment tables, priority interventions, and 75
original practice questions with rationales.
Original educational content. Not an official Galen exam or answer key, and no study resource can guarantee a passing score.
Page 1
, NUR 168 Exam 2 | Maternal-Newborn | Independent Study Resource
How This Guide Is Aligned
The 2026 Galen College of Nursing catalog describes NUR 168 as an 8-quarter-credit LPN-to-RN transition course guided
by established professional standards, guidelines, and competencies. The course description specifically includes
nursing care of the childbearing and child-caring family. A publicly indexed NUR 168 syllabus (Version 13.9, 2024/2025)
identifies Exam 2 as a 50-question assessment divided approximately equally across Unit 4 Maternity - Antepartum,
Unit 5 Maternity - Intrapartum and Postpartum, and Unit 6 Care of the Newborn. Because detailed exam blueprints can
change, current Canvas modules, instructor announcements, and assigned readings should control if they differ.
Exam 2 Domain Blueprint Weight Guide Emphasis
Unit 4: Maternity - Antepartum 16-18 of 50 Prenatal assessment, normal
pregnancy changes, prenatal testing,
fetal surveillance, Rh/GBS concepts,
and high-risk pregnancy
complications.
Unit 5: Maternity - Intrapartum & 16-18 of 50 Labor stages and mechanisms, fetal
Postpartum heart-rate monitoring,
induction/analgesia, obstetric
emergencies, postpartum
assessment, hemorrhage, infection,
thromboembolism, and psychosocial
care.
Unit 6: Care of the Newborn 16-18 of 50 Transition to extrauterine life,
thermoregulation, assessment,
prophylaxis/screening, feeding,
jaundice, glucose, safe sleep, and
recognition of newborn distress.
Study Strategy
Treat the three units as roughly equal. Learn normal findings first, then contrast them with red flags and
priority actions. On nursing questions, prioritize airway/breathing/circulation, maternal-fetal stability,
hemorrhage, severe hypertension/seizure risk, cord emergencies, infection, and newborn respiratory
compromise before routine teaching.
Page 2
, NUR 168 Exam 2 | Maternal-Newborn | Independent Study Resource
Core Learning Outcomes
Perform focused antepartum, intrapartum, postpartum, and newborn assessment and distinguish expected from
urgent findings.
Apply current prenatal screening concepts, fetal surveillance, and patient teaching to common pregnancy
scenarios.
Recognize high-risk conditions including ectopic pregnancy, hyperemesis, gestational diabetes, hypertensive
disorders, placental complications, PROM/PPROM, and preterm labor.
Interpret basic fetal heart-rate patterns and select safe nursing actions for common decelerations and oxytocin-
related tachysystole.
Prioritize care for postpartum hemorrhage, infection, hypertensive emergencies, thromboembolism, and perinatal
mood concerns.
Provide safe newborn transition care, thermoregulation, feeding support, screening, infection prevention, and
safe-sleep teaching.
Use clinical judgment to identify which patient requires immediate escalation.
Page 3
, NUR 168 Exam 2 | Maternal-Newborn | Independent Study Resource
UNIT 4 - Maternity: Antepartum
1. Obstetric Language & Dating
Gravida: Number of pregnancies, including the current pregnancy, regardless of outcome.
Para: Number of births after the age of viability used by the institution; a multiple gestation counts as one
pregnancy/birth event for parity, not as multiple parity events.
GTPAL: G = gravida; T = term births; P = preterm births; A = abortions/pregnancy losses before viability threshold; L =
living children.
Estimated due date: Common classroom calculation: Naegele rule using the first day of the last menstrual period (add
7 days, subtract 3 months, add 1 year), while clinical dating may be revised by early ultrasound and obstetric criteria.
Exam Tip
Separate pregnancy count from living-child count. Twins increase L by 2 but represent one birth event in
T or P.
2. Expected Maternal Adaptations
System Expected Change Clinical Meaning
Cardiovascular Plasma volume and cardiac output Mild dilutional anemia can occur;
rise; physiologic hemodilution may interpret labs in pregnancy context.
lower hematocrit.
Respiratory Oxygen demand and minute Mild dyspnea can be expected, but
ventilation increase. sudden severe dyspnea is not.
GI Progesterone slows motility; reflux Teach fluids, fiber, activity as
and constipation are common. appropriate; assess severe persistent
vomiting.
Renal Renal blood flow and filtration Dysuria, fever, or flank pain suggests
increase; urinary frequency is infection rather than normal
common. pregnancy.
Musculoskeletal Lumbar lordosis and ligament Promote body mechanics and fall
relaxation increase. prevention.
Hematologic Pregnancy is a hypercoagulable state. VTE risk is increased, especially
postpartum and with additional risk
factors.
Supine hypotension Late-pregnancy uterus can compress Turn to a lateral position, often left
the vena cava when supine. lateral, if dizziness/hypotension
occurs.
3. Prenatal Assessment
Prenatal care monitors maternal health, fetal growth/well-being, complications, and psychosocial needs. ACOG notes
that in-person visits commonly include blood pressure, weight, fundal height, and fetal heart tones, with testing
tailored to gestational age and risk.
Page 4
GALEN NUR 168
Exam 2 Maternal-Newborn Study Guide
Integrated Concepts of Registered Nursing Practice
Antepartum • Pregnancy Assessment • Pregnancy Complications
Intrapartum • Postpartum • Care of the Newborn
2026/2027 Updated Study Resource
Structured to the current 2026 Galen NUR 168 course description and the publicly indexed NUR 168 Exam
2 blueprint framework. Includes high-yield clinical judgment tables, priority interventions, and 75
original practice questions with rationales.
Original educational content. Not an official Galen exam or answer key, and no study resource can guarantee a passing score.
Page 1
, NUR 168 Exam 2 | Maternal-Newborn | Independent Study Resource
How This Guide Is Aligned
The 2026 Galen College of Nursing catalog describes NUR 168 as an 8-quarter-credit LPN-to-RN transition course guided
by established professional standards, guidelines, and competencies. The course description specifically includes
nursing care of the childbearing and child-caring family. A publicly indexed NUR 168 syllabus (Version 13.9, 2024/2025)
identifies Exam 2 as a 50-question assessment divided approximately equally across Unit 4 Maternity - Antepartum,
Unit 5 Maternity - Intrapartum and Postpartum, and Unit 6 Care of the Newborn. Because detailed exam blueprints can
change, current Canvas modules, instructor announcements, and assigned readings should control if they differ.
Exam 2 Domain Blueprint Weight Guide Emphasis
Unit 4: Maternity - Antepartum 16-18 of 50 Prenatal assessment, normal
pregnancy changes, prenatal testing,
fetal surveillance, Rh/GBS concepts,
and high-risk pregnancy
complications.
Unit 5: Maternity - Intrapartum & 16-18 of 50 Labor stages and mechanisms, fetal
Postpartum heart-rate monitoring,
induction/analgesia, obstetric
emergencies, postpartum
assessment, hemorrhage, infection,
thromboembolism, and psychosocial
care.
Unit 6: Care of the Newborn 16-18 of 50 Transition to extrauterine life,
thermoregulation, assessment,
prophylaxis/screening, feeding,
jaundice, glucose, safe sleep, and
recognition of newborn distress.
Study Strategy
Treat the three units as roughly equal. Learn normal findings first, then contrast them with red flags and
priority actions. On nursing questions, prioritize airway/breathing/circulation, maternal-fetal stability,
hemorrhage, severe hypertension/seizure risk, cord emergencies, infection, and newborn respiratory
compromise before routine teaching.
Page 2
, NUR 168 Exam 2 | Maternal-Newborn | Independent Study Resource
Core Learning Outcomes
Perform focused antepartum, intrapartum, postpartum, and newborn assessment and distinguish expected from
urgent findings.
Apply current prenatal screening concepts, fetal surveillance, and patient teaching to common pregnancy
scenarios.
Recognize high-risk conditions including ectopic pregnancy, hyperemesis, gestational diabetes, hypertensive
disorders, placental complications, PROM/PPROM, and preterm labor.
Interpret basic fetal heart-rate patterns and select safe nursing actions for common decelerations and oxytocin-
related tachysystole.
Prioritize care for postpartum hemorrhage, infection, hypertensive emergencies, thromboembolism, and perinatal
mood concerns.
Provide safe newborn transition care, thermoregulation, feeding support, screening, infection prevention, and
safe-sleep teaching.
Use clinical judgment to identify which patient requires immediate escalation.
Page 3
, NUR 168 Exam 2 | Maternal-Newborn | Independent Study Resource
UNIT 4 - Maternity: Antepartum
1. Obstetric Language & Dating
Gravida: Number of pregnancies, including the current pregnancy, regardless of outcome.
Para: Number of births after the age of viability used by the institution; a multiple gestation counts as one
pregnancy/birth event for parity, not as multiple parity events.
GTPAL: G = gravida; T = term births; P = preterm births; A = abortions/pregnancy losses before viability threshold; L =
living children.
Estimated due date: Common classroom calculation: Naegele rule using the first day of the last menstrual period (add
7 days, subtract 3 months, add 1 year), while clinical dating may be revised by early ultrasound and obstetric criteria.
Exam Tip
Separate pregnancy count from living-child count. Twins increase L by 2 but represent one birth event in
T or P.
2. Expected Maternal Adaptations
System Expected Change Clinical Meaning
Cardiovascular Plasma volume and cardiac output Mild dilutional anemia can occur;
rise; physiologic hemodilution may interpret labs in pregnancy context.
lower hematocrit.
Respiratory Oxygen demand and minute Mild dyspnea can be expected, but
ventilation increase. sudden severe dyspnea is not.
GI Progesterone slows motility; reflux Teach fluids, fiber, activity as
and constipation are common. appropriate; assess severe persistent
vomiting.
Renal Renal blood flow and filtration Dysuria, fever, or flank pain suggests
increase; urinary frequency is infection rather than normal
common. pregnancy.
Musculoskeletal Lumbar lordosis and ligament Promote body mechanics and fall
relaxation increase. prevention.
Hematologic Pregnancy is a hypercoagulable state. VTE risk is increased, especially
postpartum and with additional risk
factors.
Supine hypotension Late-pregnancy uterus can compress Turn to a lateral position, often left
the vena cava when supine. lateral, if dizziness/hypotension
occurs.
3. Prenatal Assessment
Prenatal care monitors maternal health, fetal growth/well-being, complications, and psychosocial needs. ACOG notes
that in-person visits commonly include blood pressure, weight, fundal height, and fetal heart tones, with testing
tailored to gestational age and risk.
Page 4
