SAFE MATERNITY AND PEDIATRIC
NURSING CARE EXAM TEST QUESTIONS
COMPREHENSIVE GUIDE WITH REALISTIC
CLINICAL SCENARIOS AND DETAILED
RATIONALES LATEST 2026 2027 EDITION
GRADED A+
Safe Maternity and Pediatric Nursing Care Practice
Exam Questions
1. A nurse is assessing a client who is at 34 weeks of gestation
and reports a sudden onset of severe abdominal pain
accompanied by dark red vaginal bleeding. The client's
abdomen is rigid and tender to palpation. Which of the
following complications should the nurse suspect?
A. Placenta previa
B. Abruptio placentae
C. Cervical insufficiency
D. Preterm labor
CORRECT ANSWER: B
RATiONAlE: Abruptio placentae is the premature separation
of a normally implanted placenta from the uterine wall. Classic
manifestations include sudden onset of severe abdominal pain,
uterine rigidity, tenderness, and dark red vaginal bleeding. In
contrast, placenta previa typically presents with painless, bright
red vaginal bleeding.
, 2. A nurse is caring for a 4-year-old child who has a high fever,
a muffled voice, stridor, and is sitting upright in a "tripod"
position while drooling. Which of the following actions
should the nurse take first?
A. Obtain a throat culture to identify the causative organism.
B. Examine the throat using a sterile tongue depressor.
C. Notify the provider and prepare for immediate
endotracheal intubation.
D. Administer a dose of oral acetaminophen for the fever.
CORRECT ANSWER: C
RATiONAlE: The child is demonstrating classic signs of acute
epiglottitis, which is a medical emergency due to the risk of
sudden, total airway obstruction. Inspection of the throat or
obtaining a throat culture can trigger a fatal laryngospasm. The
nurse's priority is to maintain airway patency by keeping the
child calm and preparing for emergency airway placement.
3. A nurse is evaluating a fetal heart rate (FHR) tracing for a
client in active labor and notes a pattern of gradual
decelerations that begin after the peak of the uterine
contraction and return to baseline well after the contraction
has ended. Which of the following interventions is the
priority?
A. Assist the client into a lithotomy position.
B. Increase the rate of the oxytocin infusion.
C. Turn the client onto her left side and administer oxygen
via nonrebreather mask.
D. Perform a sterile vaginal exam to check for cord prolapse.
,CORRECT ANSWER: C
RATiONAlE: The description indicates late decelerations,
which are caused by uteroplacental insufficiency and signify
fetal hypoxia. Interventions to improve placental perfusion and
fetal oxygenation include discontinuing oxytocin, turning the
client to a lateral position (left side preferred), administering
oxygen at 8–10 L/min via mask, and increasing IV fluid rates.
4. A nurse is teaching the parents of an infant who was recently
diagnosed with Tetralogy of Fallot. The parents ask what
they should do if the infant turns blue and hyperpneic during
a crying spell. Which of the following instructions should the
nurse provide?
A. Place the infant in a prone position with the head
elevated.
B. Bring the infant's knees up to their chest.
C. Administer chest thrusts immediately.
D. Give the infant oral fluids to expand blood volume.
CORRECT ANSWER: B
RATiONAlE: Hypercyanotic spells ("tet spells") occur in
children with Tetralogy of Fallot during times of agitation,
feeding, or crying. Placing the infant in a knee-chest position
increases systemic vascular resistance, which decreases the
right-to-left shunt and forces more blood into the pulmonary
artery to improve oxygenation.
5. A nurse is preparing to administer Rho(D) immune globulin
to a client who just delivered. Which of the following client
profiles indicates a valid indication for this medication?
, A. Rh-positive mother who gave birth to an Rh-negative
newborn.
B. Rh-negative mother who gave birth to an Rh-negative
newborn.
C. Rh-positive mother who gave birth to an Rh-positive
newborn.
D. Rh-negative mother who gave birth to an Rh-positive
newborn.
CORRECT ANSWER: D
RATiONAlE: Rho(D) immune globulin is administered to Rh-
negative mothers who carry or give birth to an Rh-positive fetus.
This prevents maternal alloimmunization (antibody formation)
against the Rh antigen, protecting future pregnancies from
hemolytic disease of the newborn.
6. A nurse is assessing a 2-month-old infant brought to the
clinic for a well-child visit. Which of the following
developmental milestones should the nurse expect the infant
to exhibit?
A. Rolling from prone to supine position.
B. Cooing and making gurgling sounds.
C. Transferring an object from one hand to another.
D. Sitting up briefly without support.
CORRECT ANSWER: B
RATiONAlE: Cooing and gurgling are expected vocalizations
for a 2-month-old infant. Rolling over typically occurs around 4
to 5 months, transferring objects from hand to hand happens
NURSING CARE EXAM TEST QUESTIONS
COMPREHENSIVE GUIDE WITH REALISTIC
CLINICAL SCENARIOS AND DETAILED
RATIONALES LATEST 2026 2027 EDITION
GRADED A+
Safe Maternity and Pediatric Nursing Care Practice
Exam Questions
1. A nurse is assessing a client who is at 34 weeks of gestation
and reports a sudden onset of severe abdominal pain
accompanied by dark red vaginal bleeding. The client's
abdomen is rigid and tender to palpation. Which of the
following complications should the nurse suspect?
A. Placenta previa
B. Abruptio placentae
C. Cervical insufficiency
D. Preterm labor
CORRECT ANSWER: B
RATiONAlE: Abruptio placentae is the premature separation
of a normally implanted placenta from the uterine wall. Classic
manifestations include sudden onset of severe abdominal pain,
uterine rigidity, tenderness, and dark red vaginal bleeding. In
contrast, placenta previa typically presents with painless, bright
red vaginal bleeding.
, 2. A nurse is caring for a 4-year-old child who has a high fever,
a muffled voice, stridor, and is sitting upright in a "tripod"
position while drooling. Which of the following actions
should the nurse take first?
A. Obtain a throat culture to identify the causative organism.
B. Examine the throat using a sterile tongue depressor.
C. Notify the provider and prepare for immediate
endotracheal intubation.
D. Administer a dose of oral acetaminophen for the fever.
CORRECT ANSWER: C
RATiONAlE: The child is demonstrating classic signs of acute
epiglottitis, which is a medical emergency due to the risk of
sudden, total airway obstruction. Inspection of the throat or
obtaining a throat culture can trigger a fatal laryngospasm. The
nurse's priority is to maintain airway patency by keeping the
child calm and preparing for emergency airway placement.
3. A nurse is evaluating a fetal heart rate (FHR) tracing for a
client in active labor and notes a pattern of gradual
decelerations that begin after the peak of the uterine
contraction and return to baseline well after the contraction
has ended. Which of the following interventions is the
priority?
A. Assist the client into a lithotomy position.
B. Increase the rate of the oxytocin infusion.
C. Turn the client onto her left side and administer oxygen
via nonrebreather mask.
D. Perform a sterile vaginal exam to check for cord prolapse.
,CORRECT ANSWER: C
RATiONAlE: The description indicates late decelerations,
which are caused by uteroplacental insufficiency and signify
fetal hypoxia. Interventions to improve placental perfusion and
fetal oxygenation include discontinuing oxytocin, turning the
client to a lateral position (left side preferred), administering
oxygen at 8–10 L/min via mask, and increasing IV fluid rates.
4. A nurse is teaching the parents of an infant who was recently
diagnosed with Tetralogy of Fallot. The parents ask what
they should do if the infant turns blue and hyperpneic during
a crying spell. Which of the following instructions should the
nurse provide?
A. Place the infant in a prone position with the head
elevated.
B. Bring the infant's knees up to their chest.
C. Administer chest thrusts immediately.
D. Give the infant oral fluids to expand blood volume.
CORRECT ANSWER: B
RATiONAlE: Hypercyanotic spells ("tet spells") occur in
children with Tetralogy of Fallot during times of agitation,
feeding, or crying. Placing the infant in a knee-chest position
increases systemic vascular resistance, which decreases the
right-to-left shunt and forces more blood into the pulmonary
artery to improve oxygenation.
5. A nurse is preparing to administer Rho(D) immune globulin
to a client who just delivered. Which of the following client
profiles indicates a valid indication for this medication?
, A. Rh-positive mother who gave birth to an Rh-negative
newborn.
B. Rh-negative mother who gave birth to an Rh-negative
newborn.
C. Rh-positive mother who gave birth to an Rh-positive
newborn.
D. Rh-negative mother who gave birth to an Rh-positive
newborn.
CORRECT ANSWER: D
RATiONAlE: Rho(D) immune globulin is administered to Rh-
negative mothers who carry or give birth to an Rh-positive fetus.
This prevents maternal alloimmunization (antibody formation)
against the Rh antigen, protecting future pregnancies from
hemolytic disease of the newborn.
6. A nurse is assessing a 2-month-old infant brought to the
clinic for a well-child visit. Which of the following
developmental milestones should the nurse expect the infant
to exhibit?
A. Rolling from prone to supine position.
B. Cooing and making gurgling sounds.
C. Transferring an object from one hand to another.
D. Sitting up briefly without support.
CORRECT ANSWER: B
RATiONAlE: Cooing and gurgling are expected vocalizations
for a 2-month-old infant. Rolling over typically occurs around 4
to 5 months, transferring objects from hand to hand happens
