Women's Health Exam # 1 Practice
Questions With Latest Update
The patient is admitted in early labor. Her support person tells the nurse that the
contractions have the following pattern: started 1232, ended 1233; started 1235, ended
1236; started 1239, ended 1240; started 1243, ended 1244. From this information, the
nurse determines that the frequency of the contractions is?
A. every 3 to 4 minutes.
B. every 2 to 3 minutes.
C. lasting a minute.
D. unable to be determined with this information. - ANSWER -A. every 3 to 4 minutes.
The frequency of a contraction is measured from the beginning of one contraction until
the beginning of the next contraction. The contractions started at 1232, 1235, 1239, and
1243. This would put the contractions every 3 to 4 minutes. The duration of the
contractions is from the beginning of a contraction until the end of the same contraction.
The duration for this pattern would be 1 minute.
Upon completion of a vaginal examination on a laboring woman, the nurse records:
50%, 6 cm, ?2-1. Which one of the following is a correct interpretation of the data?
A. Fetal presenting part is 1 cm above the ischial spines.
B. Effacement is 4 cm from completion.
C. Dilation is 50% completed.
D. Fetus has passed through the ischial spines. - ANSWER -A. Fetal presenting part is
1 cm above the ischial spines.
A station of ?2-1 indicates that the fetal presenting part is above the ischial spines and
has not yet passed through the pelvic inlet. A station of 0 would indicate that the
presenting part has passed through the inlet and is at the level of the ischial spines or is
engaged. Passage through the ischial spines with internal rotation would be indicated
by a plus station, such as +1. Progress of effacement is referred to by percentages, with
100% indicating full effacement, and dilation by centimeters (cm), with 10 cm indicating
full dilation.
The midwife records that the patient's cervix is "100%, 5 cm." The nurse understands
that the patient's cervix is
A. completely dilated and effaced.
B. completely dilated and half-effaced.
C. completely effaced and half-dilated.
D. half-dilated and half-effaced. - ANSWER -C. completely effaced and half-dilated.
,Effacement is measured in percentages. The fully thinned cervix is 100% effaced. The
dilation is measured in centimeters; dilation goes from closed to 10 cm. This patient is
completely effaced and halfway dilated.
To obtain an accurate blood pressure of a woman in labor, the nurse should assess the
blood pressure
A. between contractions, with the woman lying on her side.
B. between contractions, with the woman lying on her back.
C. with a contraction while the woman is lying on her side.
D. with a contraction while the woman is lying on her back. - ANSWER -A. between
contractions, with the woman lying on her side.
During uterine contractions, blood flow to the placenta gradually decreases, causing a
relative increase in the woman's blood volume. This temporary change increases her
blood pressure slightly. If the woman lies on her back, the weight of the fetus, placenta,
and fluid may decrease blood flow, causing supine hypotension. Therefore her blood
pressure is more accurate when taken between contractions, with her lying on her side.
During active labor, the woman complains about tingling in her hands. The nurse's next
action should be to
A. help the woman slow down her breathing and breathe into her cupped hands.
B. assess vital signs for changes.
C. check cervical dilation.
D. change the woman's position. - ANSWER -A. help the woman slow down her
breathing and breathe into her cupped hands.
Hyperventilation may occur during active labor as the woman breathes rapidly. She may
feel tingling in her hands and feet and dizziness. By having the woman slow her
breathing and breathe into a paper bag or her cupped hands, her carbon dioxide levels
will return to normal and relieve the symptoms.
During contractions the fetus has mechanisms in place to protect it from the decrease in
blood flow. Those mechanisms include:
A. fetal hemoglobin levels that are more resistant to oxygen. Incorrect
B. lower hemoglobin and hematocrit levels.
C. a high cardiac output level.
D. a higher respiratory level. - ANSWER -C. a high cardiac output level.
To prepare for labor, the fetus develops hemoglobin levels that readily take on oxygen
and release carbon dioxide. The fetal hemoglobin and hematocrit levels are higher to
have more oxygen-carrying capacity. The fetus has a higher cardiac output level. The
fetus does not breathe yet, so
, The nurse notices on the admission record that the fetus is in a cephalic military
presentation. The nurse realizes that the fetus
A. is coming feet first into the birth canal.
B. has the head in the birth canal first, but the head is not flexed.
C. has the head in the birth canal first, and the head is in a flexed presentation.
D. has both feet coming into the birth canal first. - ANSWER -B. has the head in the
birth canal first, but the head is not flexed.
Cephalic presentation shows that the head is coming into the birth canal first. The
military presentation means that the head is in a neutral position, neither flexed nor
extended.
A woman is admitted in early labor. The prenatal record states that the fetus is in a
transverse lie with a shoulder presentation. The nurse can anticipate a
A. frequent change of positions for the mother to alter the fetal position.
B. need for early fetal monitoring to assess for fetal heart changes.
C. cesarean birth.
D. prolonged second stage of labor. - ANSWER -C. cesarean birth.
A transverse lie with a shoulder presentation almost always ends with a cesarean birth.
When doing a vaginal exam, the nurse notes a triangular-shaped depression toward the
mother's left side and pointing up toward her abdomen. The nurse can record the fetal
position as
A. LOP.
B. ROP.
C. LOA.
D. ROP. - ANSWER -C. LOA.
The triangular shape is the posterior fontanel, which makes the positioning part the
occiput. The posterior fontanel is toward the mother's left side and anterior. This makes
the position left occiput anterior (LOA).
A woman who is about 37 weeks' gestation tells the nurse that for some reason this
morning she can breathe easier. The nurse can best explain this as being a
A. concern, and the fetus needs to be assessed.
B. normal change toward the end of the pregnancy caused by a decreased use of
oxygen by the fetus.
C. normal change because of the fetus's dropping down into the pelvis region, relieving
the pressure on her diaphragm.
D. normal change caused by the maternal cardiac output increasing as she gets closer
to labor. - ANSWER -C. normal change because of the fetus's dropping down into the
pelvis region, relieving the pressure on her diaphragm.
Questions With Latest Update
The patient is admitted in early labor. Her support person tells the nurse that the
contractions have the following pattern: started 1232, ended 1233; started 1235, ended
1236; started 1239, ended 1240; started 1243, ended 1244. From this information, the
nurse determines that the frequency of the contractions is?
A. every 3 to 4 minutes.
B. every 2 to 3 minutes.
C. lasting a minute.
D. unable to be determined with this information. - ANSWER -A. every 3 to 4 minutes.
The frequency of a contraction is measured from the beginning of one contraction until
the beginning of the next contraction. The contractions started at 1232, 1235, 1239, and
1243. This would put the contractions every 3 to 4 minutes. The duration of the
contractions is from the beginning of a contraction until the end of the same contraction.
The duration for this pattern would be 1 minute.
Upon completion of a vaginal examination on a laboring woman, the nurse records:
50%, 6 cm, ?2-1. Which one of the following is a correct interpretation of the data?
A. Fetal presenting part is 1 cm above the ischial spines.
B. Effacement is 4 cm from completion.
C. Dilation is 50% completed.
D. Fetus has passed through the ischial spines. - ANSWER -A. Fetal presenting part is
1 cm above the ischial spines.
A station of ?2-1 indicates that the fetal presenting part is above the ischial spines and
has not yet passed through the pelvic inlet. A station of 0 would indicate that the
presenting part has passed through the inlet and is at the level of the ischial spines or is
engaged. Passage through the ischial spines with internal rotation would be indicated
by a plus station, such as +1. Progress of effacement is referred to by percentages, with
100% indicating full effacement, and dilation by centimeters (cm), with 10 cm indicating
full dilation.
The midwife records that the patient's cervix is "100%, 5 cm." The nurse understands
that the patient's cervix is
A. completely dilated and effaced.
B. completely dilated and half-effaced.
C. completely effaced and half-dilated.
D. half-dilated and half-effaced. - ANSWER -C. completely effaced and half-dilated.
,Effacement is measured in percentages. The fully thinned cervix is 100% effaced. The
dilation is measured in centimeters; dilation goes from closed to 10 cm. This patient is
completely effaced and halfway dilated.
To obtain an accurate blood pressure of a woman in labor, the nurse should assess the
blood pressure
A. between contractions, with the woman lying on her side.
B. between contractions, with the woman lying on her back.
C. with a contraction while the woman is lying on her side.
D. with a contraction while the woman is lying on her back. - ANSWER -A. between
contractions, with the woman lying on her side.
During uterine contractions, blood flow to the placenta gradually decreases, causing a
relative increase in the woman's blood volume. This temporary change increases her
blood pressure slightly. If the woman lies on her back, the weight of the fetus, placenta,
and fluid may decrease blood flow, causing supine hypotension. Therefore her blood
pressure is more accurate when taken between contractions, with her lying on her side.
During active labor, the woman complains about tingling in her hands. The nurse's next
action should be to
A. help the woman slow down her breathing and breathe into her cupped hands.
B. assess vital signs for changes.
C. check cervical dilation.
D. change the woman's position. - ANSWER -A. help the woman slow down her
breathing and breathe into her cupped hands.
Hyperventilation may occur during active labor as the woman breathes rapidly. She may
feel tingling in her hands and feet and dizziness. By having the woman slow her
breathing and breathe into a paper bag or her cupped hands, her carbon dioxide levels
will return to normal and relieve the symptoms.
During contractions the fetus has mechanisms in place to protect it from the decrease in
blood flow. Those mechanisms include:
A. fetal hemoglobin levels that are more resistant to oxygen. Incorrect
B. lower hemoglobin and hematocrit levels.
C. a high cardiac output level.
D. a higher respiratory level. - ANSWER -C. a high cardiac output level.
To prepare for labor, the fetus develops hemoglobin levels that readily take on oxygen
and release carbon dioxide. The fetal hemoglobin and hematocrit levels are higher to
have more oxygen-carrying capacity. The fetus has a higher cardiac output level. The
fetus does not breathe yet, so
, The nurse notices on the admission record that the fetus is in a cephalic military
presentation. The nurse realizes that the fetus
A. is coming feet first into the birth canal.
B. has the head in the birth canal first, but the head is not flexed.
C. has the head in the birth canal first, and the head is in a flexed presentation.
D. has both feet coming into the birth canal first. - ANSWER -B. has the head in the
birth canal first, but the head is not flexed.
Cephalic presentation shows that the head is coming into the birth canal first. The
military presentation means that the head is in a neutral position, neither flexed nor
extended.
A woman is admitted in early labor. The prenatal record states that the fetus is in a
transverse lie with a shoulder presentation. The nurse can anticipate a
A. frequent change of positions for the mother to alter the fetal position.
B. need for early fetal monitoring to assess for fetal heart changes.
C. cesarean birth.
D. prolonged second stage of labor. - ANSWER -C. cesarean birth.
A transverse lie with a shoulder presentation almost always ends with a cesarean birth.
When doing a vaginal exam, the nurse notes a triangular-shaped depression toward the
mother's left side and pointing up toward her abdomen. The nurse can record the fetal
position as
A. LOP.
B. ROP.
C. LOA.
D. ROP. - ANSWER -C. LOA.
The triangular shape is the posterior fontanel, which makes the positioning part the
occiput. The posterior fontanel is toward the mother's left side and anterior. This makes
the position left occiput anterior (LOA).
A woman who is about 37 weeks' gestation tells the nurse that for some reason this
morning she can breathe easier. The nurse can best explain this as being a
A. concern, and the fetus needs to be assessed.
B. normal change toward the end of the pregnancy caused by a decreased use of
oxygen by the fetus.
C. normal change because of the fetus's dropping down into the pelvis region, relieving
the pressure on her diaphragm.
D. normal change caused by the maternal cardiac output increasing as she gets closer
to labor. - ANSWER -C. normal change because of the fetus's dropping down into the
pelvis region, relieving the pressure on her diaphragm.
