NUR 168 Maternal-Newborn Clinical Judgment Workbook | 2026/2027
GALEN NUR 168
Maternal-Newborn
Clinical Judgment Workbook
Pregnancy | Labor | Postpartum | Newborn Scenarios
2026/2027 Exam-Prep Edition
Alignment: Built around the current Galen NUR 168 course description in the July-December 2026 catalog, which
includes nursing care of the childbearing and child-caring family. Maternal-newborn topic granularity is informed
by a publicly available NUR 168 syllabus outline and current nursing/obstetric guidance. This is an original study
workbook, not an official Galen exam or answer key.
Clinical judgment design: Each unfolding case follows the 2026 NCSBN clinical judgment sequence: recognize cues,
analyze cues, prioritize hypotheses, generate solutions, take action, and evaluate outcomes.
32 unfolding cases + 16 rapid priority drills + high-yield reference tables
For educational use only. Always follow instructor guidance, current facility policy, medication references, and provider orders. No
study resource can guarantee a course or exam result.
Independent study resource | 1
, NUR 168 Maternal-Newborn Clinical Judgment Workbook | 2026/2027
Workbook Map
Section What you will practice
1. Alignment and clinical judgment framework How NUR 168 maternal-newborn content maps to RN clinical
judgment.
2. Pregnancy foundations Prenatal assessment, high-risk pregnancy, hypertensive
disorders, bleeding, diabetes, GBS, preterm labor and
rupture of membranes.
3. Pregnancy cases 1-8 Eight unfolding antepartum cases with complete rationales.
4. Labor and birth foundations Labor stages, fetal assessment, decelerations, oxytocin,
rupture of membranes, obstetric emergencies and pain
management.
5. Labor cases 9-16 Eight unfolding intrapartum cases.
6. Postpartum foundations Fundus/lochia, hemorrhage, infection, hypertensive
emergency, thromboembolism, lactation and mood
complications.
7. Postpartum cases 17-24 Eight unfolding postpartum cases.
8. Newborn foundations Transition, thermoregulation, glucose, jaundice, feeding,
infection prevention, prophylaxis and safe sleep.
9. Newborn cases 25-32 Eight unfolding newborn cases.
10. Rapid priority drills Sixteen short scenarios for fast final review.
11. Final rapid review + references One-page priorities, medication/safety reminders and source
list.
Independent study resource | 2
, NUR 168 Maternal-Newborn Clinical Judgment Workbook | 2026/2027
1. Alignment and Clinical Judgment Framework
The current Galen College of Nursing catalog (Volume 83, July-December 2026) describes NUR 168 Integrated Concepts
of Registered Nursing Practice as an 8-quarter-credit transition course that includes nursing care of the childbearing
and child-caring family, guided by established professional standards, guidelines, and competencies. The course also
uses classroom, laboratory, and clinical experiences to develop foundational and specialty RN skills.
A publicly available NUR 168 syllabus outline provides additional maternal-newborn topic detail, including pregnancy
assessment, preeclampsia/eclampsia, hemorrhagic conditions, electronic fetal monitoring, labor and birth
complications, postpartum physiologic changes, newborn nutrition, and high-risk newborn concepts. Because that
syllabus is not the official September 2026 exam blueprint, this workbook uses it only to organize study scope rather
than to claim exact test weighting.
The six clinical judgment moves
Step What to ask yourself
Recognize cues Which findings are important now? Separate expected
findings from warning signs.
Analyze cues How do the findings connect? What pattern is developing?
Prioritize hypotheses Which problem is most urgent, most likely, or highest risk to
mother/fetus/newborn?
Generate solutions Which nursing actions and collaborative interventions can
improve the outcome?
Take action What should the nurse do first, next, and what should be
escalated immediately?
Evaluate outcomes Which reassessment findings show improvement,
deterioration, or need for a new plan?
Priority rule: In maternal-newborn questions, stabilize the life-threatening maternal problem first when present,
while simultaneously protecting fetal/newborn oxygenation and escalating rapidly. Use ABCs, hemorrhage/seizure
risk, fetal status, and time-sensitive obstetric emergencies to set priority.
2. Pregnancy Foundations - High-Yield Review
Topic High-yield nursing focus
Routine prenatal assessment Trend blood pressure, weight, edema only in context, fetal
growth, fetal movement, prenatal labs, and warning signs.
Teach when to seek urgent care.
Hypertensive disorders After 20 weeks, new hypertension plus proteinuria and/or
severe features raises concern for preeclampsia. Severe-
range blood pressure, persistent neurologic symptoms,
RUQ/epigastric pain, pulmonary edema, or significant
laboratory abnormalities require urgent escalation.
Magnesium sulfate Used for seizure prophylaxis/treatment in severe
Independent study resource | 3
GALEN NUR 168
Maternal-Newborn
Clinical Judgment Workbook
Pregnancy | Labor | Postpartum | Newborn Scenarios
2026/2027 Exam-Prep Edition
Alignment: Built around the current Galen NUR 168 course description in the July-December 2026 catalog, which
includes nursing care of the childbearing and child-caring family. Maternal-newborn topic granularity is informed
by a publicly available NUR 168 syllabus outline and current nursing/obstetric guidance. This is an original study
workbook, not an official Galen exam or answer key.
Clinical judgment design: Each unfolding case follows the 2026 NCSBN clinical judgment sequence: recognize cues,
analyze cues, prioritize hypotheses, generate solutions, take action, and evaluate outcomes.
32 unfolding cases + 16 rapid priority drills + high-yield reference tables
For educational use only. Always follow instructor guidance, current facility policy, medication references, and provider orders. No
study resource can guarantee a course or exam result.
Independent study resource | 1
, NUR 168 Maternal-Newborn Clinical Judgment Workbook | 2026/2027
Workbook Map
Section What you will practice
1. Alignment and clinical judgment framework How NUR 168 maternal-newborn content maps to RN clinical
judgment.
2. Pregnancy foundations Prenatal assessment, high-risk pregnancy, hypertensive
disorders, bleeding, diabetes, GBS, preterm labor and
rupture of membranes.
3. Pregnancy cases 1-8 Eight unfolding antepartum cases with complete rationales.
4. Labor and birth foundations Labor stages, fetal assessment, decelerations, oxytocin,
rupture of membranes, obstetric emergencies and pain
management.
5. Labor cases 9-16 Eight unfolding intrapartum cases.
6. Postpartum foundations Fundus/lochia, hemorrhage, infection, hypertensive
emergency, thromboembolism, lactation and mood
complications.
7. Postpartum cases 17-24 Eight unfolding postpartum cases.
8. Newborn foundations Transition, thermoregulation, glucose, jaundice, feeding,
infection prevention, prophylaxis and safe sleep.
9. Newborn cases 25-32 Eight unfolding newborn cases.
10. Rapid priority drills Sixteen short scenarios for fast final review.
11. Final rapid review + references One-page priorities, medication/safety reminders and source
list.
Independent study resource | 2
, NUR 168 Maternal-Newborn Clinical Judgment Workbook | 2026/2027
1. Alignment and Clinical Judgment Framework
The current Galen College of Nursing catalog (Volume 83, July-December 2026) describes NUR 168 Integrated Concepts
of Registered Nursing Practice as an 8-quarter-credit transition course that includes nursing care of the childbearing
and child-caring family, guided by established professional standards, guidelines, and competencies. The course also
uses classroom, laboratory, and clinical experiences to develop foundational and specialty RN skills.
A publicly available NUR 168 syllabus outline provides additional maternal-newborn topic detail, including pregnancy
assessment, preeclampsia/eclampsia, hemorrhagic conditions, electronic fetal monitoring, labor and birth
complications, postpartum physiologic changes, newborn nutrition, and high-risk newborn concepts. Because that
syllabus is not the official September 2026 exam blueprint, this workbook uses it only to organize study scope rather
than to claim exact test weighting.
The six clinical judgment moves
Step What to ask yourself
Recognize cues Which findings are important now? Separate expected
findings from warning signs.
Analyze cues How do the findings connect? What pattern is developing?
Prioritize hypotheses Which problem is most urgent, most likely, or highest risk to
mother/fetus/newborn?
Generate solutions Which nursing actions and collaborative interventions can
improve the outcome?
Take action What should the nurse do first, next, and what should be
escalated immediately?
Evaluate outcomes Which reassessment findings show improvement,
deterioration, or need for a new plan?
Priority rule: In maternal-newborn questions, stabilize the life-threatening maternal problem first when present,
while simultaneously protecting fetal/newborn oxygenation and escalating rapidly. Use ABCs, hemorrhage/seizure
risk, fetal status, and time-sensitive obstetric emergencies to set priority.
2. Pregnancy Foundations - High-Yield Review
Topic High-yield nursing focus
Routine prenatal assessment Trend blood pressure, weight, edema only in context, fetal
growth, fetal movement, prenatal labs, and warning signs.
Teach when to seek urgent care.
Hypertensive disorders After 20 weeks, new hypertension plus proteinuria and/or
severe features raises concern for preeclampsia. Severe-
range blood pressure, persistent neurologic symptoms,
RUQ/epigastric pain, pulmonary edema, or significant
laboratory abnormalities require urgent escalation.
Magnesium sulfate Used for seizure prophylaxis/treatment in severe
Independent study resource | 3
