Maternity Nursing Chapter 2: Cultural, Family, and Social Considerations – Verified Exam Questions & Answers | 2025/2026 NCLEX & HESI Study Guide

This Maternity Nursing Chapter 2 Study Guide (2025/2026) provides 100% verified NCLEX/HESI-style questions and answers focused on family systems, cultural competence, interpreter use, social vulnerability, and health beliefs in maternal care. Ideal for nursing students preparing for unit exams, clinical discussions, or licensure testing. Topics include cultural traditions in childbirth, family assessment tools, patient communication, health teaching in diverse populations, and more. Comprehensive, clear, and aligned with the latest nursing standards. example;1. A married couple lives in a single-family house with their newborn son and the husbands daughter from a previous marriage. On the basis of the information given, what family form best describes this family? a. Married-blended family b. Extended family c. Nuclear family d. Same-sex family - Answer ANS: A Married-blended families are formed as the result of divorce and remarriage. Unrelated family members join together to create a new household. Members of an extended family are kin, or family members related by blood, such as grandparents, aunts, and uncles. A nuclear family is a traditional family with male and female partners and the children resulting from that union. A same-sex family is a family with homosexual partners who cohabit with or without children. 2. In what form do families tend to be most socially vulnerable? a. Married-blended family c. Nuclear family b. Extended family c. Nuclear family d. Single-parent family - Answer ANS: D The single-parent family tends to be vulnerable economically and socially, creating an unstable and deprived environment for the growth potential of children. The married-blended family, the extended family, and the nuclear family are not the most socially vulnerable. 3. Health care functions carried out by families to meet their members needs include: a. Developing family budgets. b. Socializing children. c. Meeting nutritional requirements. d. Teaching family members about birth control. - Answer ANS: C Meeting nutritional requirements is a fundamental health promotion behavior. Although creating a family budget may be helpful, it does not indicate that funds will be allotted to meet health needs if money is scarce. Often families cannot afford preventive care and rely on emergency departments for their health care needs. Socialization of children may be important, but it is not directly related to the health care of individuals in a family unit. Birth control may be important, but it is not a basic survival health care function. 4. The nurse should be aware that the criteria used to make decisions and solve problems within families are based primarily on family: a. Rituals and customs. b. Values and beliefs. c. Boundaries and channels. d. Socialization processes. - Answer ANS: B Values and beliefs are the most prevalent factors in the decision-making and problem-solving techniques of families. Although culture may play a part in the decision-making process of a family, ultimately values and beliefs dictate the course of action taken by family members. Boundaries and channels affect the relationship between the family members and the health care team, not the decisions within the family. Socialization processes may help families with interactions with the community, but they are not the criteria used for decision making within the family. 5. Using the family stress theory as an intervention approach for working with families experiencing parenting, the nurse can help the family change internal context factors. These include: a. Biologic and genetic makeup. b. Maturation of family members. c. The familys perception of the event. d. The prevailing cultural beliefs of society. - Answer ANS: C The family stress theory is concerned with the familys reaction to stressful events; internal context factors include elements that a family can control such as psychologic defenses. It is not concerned with biologic and genetic makeup, maturation of family members, or the prevailing cultural beliefs of society. 6. While working in the prenatal clinic, you care for a very diverse group of patients. When planning interventions for these families, you realize that acceptance of the interventions will be most influenced by: a. Educational achievement. b. Income level. c. Subcultural group. d. Individual beliefs. - Answer ANS: D The patients beliefs are ultimately the key to acceptance of health care interventions. However, these beliefs may be influenced by factors such as educational level, income level, and ethnic background. Educational achievement, income level, and subcultural group all are important factors. However, the nurse must understand that a womans concerns from her own point of view will have the most influence on her compliance. 7. The nurses care of a Hispanic family includes teaching about infant care. When developing a plan of care, the nurse bases interventions on the knowledge that in traditional Hispanic families: a. Breastfeeding is encouraged immediately after birth. b. Male infants typically are circumcised. c. The maternal grandmother participates in the care of the mother and her infant. d. Special herbs mixed in water are used to stimulate the passage of meconium. - Answer ANS: C In Hispanic families, the expectant mother is influenced strongly by her mother or mother-in-law. Breastfeeding often is delayed until the third postpartum day. Hispanic male infants usually are not circumcised. Olive or castor oil may be given to stimulate the passage of meconium. 8. The womans family members are present when the home care maternal-child nurse arrives for a postpartum and newborn visit. What should the nurse do? a. Observe the family members interactions with the newborn and one another. b. Ask the woman to meet with her and the baby alone. c. Do a brief assessment on all family members present. d. Reschedule the visit for another time so that the mother and infant can be assessed privately. - Answer ANS: A The nurse should introduce herself to the patient and the other family members present. Family members in the home may be providing care and assistance to the mother and infant. However, this