NSG 3500 MATERNAL EXAM 2 REVIEW |
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS | 2026/27
UPDATED COMPLETE – GALEN COLLEGE
Introduction
NSG 3500 Maternal Exam 2 Review is a focused study resource for nursing students
preparing for maternal and newborn nursing assessments at Galen College. This
practice bank emphasizes clinical judgment, maternal assessment, pregnancy
complications, labor and delivery, postpartum care, and newborn nursing concepts
commonly addressed in maternal health coursework. Because the exact Exam 2
blueprint may vary by course section and term, students should compare these
practice topics with their current syllabus, lecture materials, and instructor-provided
study guide.
The questions are designed to strengthen application-level reasoning rather than
simple memorization. Clinical scenarios ask students to recognize warning signs,
prioritize nursing interventions, interpret assessment findings, evaluate treatment
responses, and provide safe patient education. Each question has four answer options,
one best answer, and a rationale explaining why the correct choice is appropriate and
why the alternatives are less appropriate.
Use this resource alongside current nursing references and course materials. It is an
independent practice review, not an official Galen College examination or a verified
copy of the actual exam. No question bank can guarantee a particular score, but
deliberate practice and review of rationales can help identify knowledge gaps and
strengthen clinical decision-making.
Core domains reviewed
1.
Antepartum assessment: Maternal adaptation, prenatal visits, fetal
development, and pregnancy warning signs.
2.
3.
High-risk pregnancy: Hypertensive disorders, gestational diabetes, bleeding,
and other complications.
4.
5.
, Fetal assessment: Fetal heart-rate patterns, fetal movement, and surveillance
findings.
6.
7.
Labor and delivery: Labor stages, progress, comfort measures, and nursing
priorities.
8.
9.
Intrapartum emergencies: Cord prolapse, uterine tachysystole, placental
complications, and fetal compromise.
10.
11.
Obstetric medications: Oxytocin, magnesium sulfate, and medications used in
common maternal complications.
12.
13.
Postpartum nursing: Uterine involution, lochia, hemorrhage, infection, and
recovery.
14.
15.
Newborn care: Transition after birth, thermoregulation, feeding, and early
complications.
16.
17.
Patient education: Discharge teaching, warning signs, and prevention of
complications.
18.
19.
Clinical judgment: Prioritization, delegation, reassessment, and evidence-
informed nursing interventions.
20.
QUESTIONS 1–100
, Section 1: Antepartum assessment and high-risk pregnancy
Q1: A pregnant patient at 32 weeks’ gestation reports a severe persistent headache,
blurred vision, and pain in the right upper quadrant. Her blood pressure is 168/112
mmHg. Which nursing action is the priority?
A) Encourage oral fluids and reassess in one hour B) Initiate urgent evaluation and
management for severe preeclampsia, including prompt blood pressure treatment and
seizure precautions C) Teach the patient to reduce dietary sodium and return
tomorrow D) Encourage ambulation to improve circulation
Rationale: B is correct because severe-range blood pressure with neurological
symptoms and right upper quadrant pain suggests preeclampsia with severe features,
which can progress to eclampsia, stroke, or organ injury. A delays emergency
assessment. C is inadequate for an acute severe presentation. D does not address the
immediate threat and may delay treatment.
Q2: A patient at 30 weeks’ gestation with gestational diabetes asks why glucose
control matters even when she feels well. Which response is most accurate?
A) “High glucose affects only your health after delivery.” B) “Insulin resistance
during pregnancy always disappears before birth.” C) “Maternal hyperglycemia can
cause fetal hyperinsulinemia, excessive fetal growth, and neonatal hypoglycemia after
birth.” D) “Your baby will necessarily develop diabetes at birth.”
Rationale: C is correct because maternal glucose crosses the placenta, stimulating
fetal insulin production; maternal insulin itself does not cross in significant amounts.
After birth, maternal glucose delivery stops while the newborn’s insulin may remain
elevated, causing hypoglycemia. A ignores fetal effects. B is an overgeneralization
because glucose intolerance may persist postpartum. D is incorrect because neonatal
hypoglycemia is not the same as neonatal diabetes.
Q3: A patient at 10 weeks’ gestation reports persistent vomiting, inability to retain
fluids, dizziness, and decreased urination. Which finding most strongly supports
significant dehydration requiring prompt evaluation?
A) Mild nausea in the morning B) Increased appetite C) Orthostatic symptoms and
markedly reduced urine output D) Breast tenderness
Rationale: C is correct because dizziness with reduced urine output suggests volume
depletion and possible electrolyte disturbance. A, B, and D can occur in
uncomplicated early pregnancy and do not independently indicate severe dehydration.
Q4: A pregnant patient at 28 weeks reports painless, bright-red vaginal bleeding.
Which action is most appropriate initially?
A) Perform a digital cervical examination to determine dilation B) Encourage walking
to assess whether bleeding increases C) Assess maternal stability and fetal status, and
avoid digital vaginal examination until placenta previa has been excluded D) Reassure
the patient that painless bleeding is normal in late pregnancy
QUESTIONS AND ANSWERS | 2026/27
UPDATED COMPLETE – GALEN COLLEGE
Introduction
NSG 3500 Maternal Exam 2 Review is a focused study resource for nursing students
preparing for maternal and newborn nursing assessments at Galen College. This
practice bank emphasizes clinical judgment, maternal assessment, pregnancy
complications, labor and delivery, postpartum care, and newborn nursing concepts
commonly addressed in maternal health coursework. Because the exact Exam 2
blueprint may vary by course section and term, students should compare these
practice topics with their current syllabus, lecture materials, and instructor-provided
study guide.
The questions are designed to strengthen application-level reasoning rather than
simple memorization. Clinical scenarios ask students to recognize warning signs,
prioritize nursing interventions, interpret assessment findings, evaluate treatment
responses, and provide safe patient education. Each question has four answer options,
one best answer, and a rationale explaining why the correct choice is appropriate and
why the alternatives are less appropriate.
Use this resource alongside current nursing references and course materials. It is an
independent practice review, not an official Galen College examination or a verified
copy of the actual exam. No question bank can guarantee a particular score, but
deliberate practice and review of rationales can help identify knowledge gaps and
strengthen clinical decision-making.
Core domains reviewed
1.
Antepartum assessment: Maternal adaptation, prenatal visits, fetal
development, and pregnancy warning signs.
2.
3.
High-risk pregnancy: Hypertensive disorders, gestational diabetes, bleeding,
and other complications.
4.
5.
, Fetal assessment: Fetal heart-rate patterns, fetal movement, and surveillance
findings.
6.
7.
Labor and delivery: Labor stages, progress, comfort measures, and nursing
priorities.
8.
9.
Intrapartum emergencies: Cord prolapse, uterine tachysystole, placental
complications, and fetal compromise.
10.
11.
Obstetric medications: Oxytocin, magnesium sulfate, and medications used in
common maternal complications.
12.
13.
Postpartum nursing: Uterine involution, lochia, hemorrhage, infection, and
recovery.
14.
15.
Newborn care: Transition after birth, thermoregulation, feeding, and early
complications.
16.
17.
Patient education: Discharge teaching, warning signs, and prevention of
complications.
18.
19.
Clinical judgment: Prioritization, delegation, reassessment, and evidence-
informed nursing interventions.
20.
QUESTIONS 1–100
, Section 1: Antepartum assessment and high-risk pregnancy
Q1: A pregnant patient at 32 weeks’ gestation reports a severe persistent headache,
blurred vision, and pain in the right upper quadrant. Her blood pressure is 168/112
mmHg. Which nursing action is the priority?
A) Encourage oral fluids and reassess in one hour B) Initiate urgent evaluation and
management for severe preeclampsia, including prompt blood pressure treatment and
seizure precautions C) Teach the patient to reduce dietary sodium and return
tomorrow D) Encourage ambulation to improve circulation
Rationale: B is correct because severe-range blood pressure with neurological
symptoms and right upper quadrant pain suggests preeclampsia with severe features,
which can progress to eclampsia, stroke, or organ injury. A delays emergency
assessment. C is inadequate for an acute severe presentation. D does not address the
immediate threat and may delay treatment.
Q2: A patient at 30 weeks’ gestation with gestational diabetes asks why glucose
control matters even when she feels well. Which response is most accurate?
A) “High glucose affects only your health after delivery.” B) “Insulin resistance
during pregnancy always disappears before birth.” C) “Maternal hyperglycemia can
cause fetal hyperinsulinemia, excessive fetal growth, and neonatal hypoglycemia after
birth.” D) “Your baby will necessarily develop diabetes at birth.”
Rationale: C is correct because maternal glucose crosses the placenta, stimulating
fetal insulin production; maternal insulin itself does not cross in significant amounts.
After birth, maternal glucose delivery stops while the newborn’s insulin may remain
elevated, causing hypoglycemia. A ignores fetal effects. B is an overgeneralization
because glucose intolerance may persist postpartum. D is incorrect because neonatal
hypoglycemia is not the same as neonatal diabetes.
Q3: A patient at 10 weeks’ gestation reports persistent vomiting, inability to retain
fluids, dizziness, and decreased urination. Which finding most strongly supports
significant dehydration requiring prompt evaluation?
A) Mild nausea in the morning B) Increased appetite C) Orthostatic symptoms and
markedly reduced urine output D) Breast tenderness
Rationale: C is correct because dizziness with reduced urine output suggests volume
depletion and possible electrolyte disturbance. A, B, and D can occur in
uncomplicated early pregnancy and do not independently indicate severe dehydration.
Q4: A pregnant patient at 28 weeks reports painless, bright-red vaginal bleeding.
Which action is most appropriate initially?
A) Perform a digital cervical examination to determine dilation B) Encourage walking
to assess whether bleeding increases C) Assess maternal stability and fetal status, and
avoid digital vaginal examination until placenta previa has been excluded D) Reassure
the patient that painless bleeding is normal in late pregnancy
