When providing care for a pregnant woman, the nurse should be aware that one of the most frequently
reported maternal medical risk factors is:
a. diabetes mellitus.
b. mitral valve prolapse (MVP).
c. chronic hypertension.
d. anemia. - CORRECT ANSWER -ANS: A
The most frequently reported maternal medical risk factors are diabetes and hypertension associated
with pregnancy. Both of these conditions are associated with maternal obesity. There are no studies
that indicate MVP is among the most frequently reported maternal risk factors. Hypertension associated
with pregnancy, not chronic hypertension, is one of the most frequently reported maternal medical risk
factors. Although anemia is a concern in pregnancy, it is not one of the most frequently reported
maternal medical risk factors in pregnancy
To ensure optimal outcomes for the patient, the contemporary maternity nurse must incorporate both
teamwork and communication with clinicians into her care delivery. The SBAR technique of
communication is an easy-to-remember mechanism for communication. Which of 8the 8following
8correctly 8defines 8this 8acronym?
a. Situation, 8baseline 8assessment, 8response
b. Situation, 8background, 8assessment, 8recommendation
,c. Subjective 8background, 8assessment, 8recommendation
d. Situation, 8background, 8anticipated 8recommendation 8- 8CORRECT 8ANSWER 8-ANS: 8B
The 8situation, 8background, 8assessment, 8recommendation 8(SBAR) 8technique 8provides 8a 8specific
8framework 8for 8communication 8among 8health 8care 8providers. 8Failure 8to 8communicate 8is 8one 8of
8the 8major 8reasons 8for 8errors 8in 8health 8care. 8The 8SBAR 8technique 8has 8the 8potential 8to 8serve
8as 8a 8means 8to 8reduce 8errors.
The 8role 8of 8the 8professional 8nurse 8caring 8for 8childbearing 8families 8has 8evolved 8to 8emphasize:
a. providing 8care 8to 8patients 8directly 8at 8the 8bedside.
b. primarily 8hospital 8care 8of 8maternity 8patients.
c. practice 8using 8an 8evidence-based 8approach.
d. planning 8patient 8care 8to 8cover 8longer 8hospital 8stays. 8- 8CORRECT 8ANSWER 8-ANS: 8C
Professional 8nurses 8are 8part 8of 8the 8team 8of 8health 8care 8providers 8who 8collaboratively 8care 8for
8patients 8throughout 8the 8childbearing 8cycle. 8Providing 8care 8to 8patients 8directly 8at 8the 8bedside
8is 8one 8of 8the 8nurse's 8tasks; 8however, 8it 8does 8not 8encompass 8the 8concept 8of 8the 8evolved
8professional 8nurse. 8Throughout 8the 8prenatal 8period, 8nurses 8care 8for 8women 8in 8clinics 8and
8physician's 8offices 8and 8teach 8classes 8to 8help 8families 8prepare 8for 8childbirth. 8Nurses 8also 8care
8for 8childbearing 8families 8in 8birthing 8centers 8and 8in 8the 8home. 8Nurses 8have 8been 8critically
8important 8in 8developing 8strategies 8to 8improve 8the 8well-being 8of 8women 8and 8their 8infants 8and
8have 8led 8the 8efforts 8to 8implement 8clinical 8practice 8guidelines 8using 8an 8evidence-based
8approach. 8Maternity 8patients 8have 8experienced 8a 8decreased, 8rather 8than 8an 8increased, 8length
8of 8stay 8over 8the 8past 8two 8decades.
,A 823-year-old 8African-American 8woman 8is 8pregnant 8with 8her 8first 8child. 8Based 8on 8the 8statistics
8for 8infant 8mortality, 8which 8plan 8is 8most 8important 8for 8the 8nurse 8to 8implement?
a. Perform 8a 8nutrition 8assessment.
b. Refer 8the 8woman 8to 8a 8social 8worker.
c. Advise 8the 8woman 8to 8see 8an 8obstetrician, 8not 8a 8midwife.
d. Explain 8to 8the 8woman 8the 8importance 8of 8keeping 8her 8prenatal 8care 8appointments. 8-
8CORRECT 8ANSWER 8-ANS: 8D
Consistent 8prenatal 8care 8is 8the 8best 8method 8of 8preventing 8or 8controlling 8risk 8factors 8associated
8with 8infant 8mortality. 8Nutritional 8status 8is 8an 8important 8modifiable 8risk 8factor, 8but 8a 8nutrition
8assessment 8is 8not 8the 8most 8important 8action 8a 8nurse 8should 8take 8in 8this 8situation. 8The
8patient 8may 8need 8assistance 8from 8a 8social 8worker 8at 8some 8time 8during 8her 8pregnancy, 8but 8a
8referral 8to 8a 8social 8worker 8is 8not 8the 8most 8important 8aspect 8the 8nurse 8should 8address 8at 8this
8time. 8If 8the 8woman 8has 8identifiable 8high 8risk 8problems, 8her 8health 8care 8may 8need 8to 8be
8provided 8by 8a 8physician. 8However, 8it 8cannot 8be 8assumed 8that 8all 8African- 8American 8women
8have 8high 8risk 8issues. 8In 8addition, 8advising 8the 8woman 8to 8see 8an 8obstetrician 8is 8not 8the 8most
8important 8aspect 8on 8which 8the 8nurse 8should 8focus 8at 8this 8time, 8and 8it 8is 8not 8appropriate 8for
8a 8nurse 8to 8advise 8or 8manage 8the 8type 8of 8care 8a 8patient 8is 8to 8receive.
During 8a 8prenatal 8intake 8interview, 8the 8nurse 8is 8in 8the 8process 8of 8obtaining 8an 8initial
8assessment 8of 8a 821- 8year-old 8Hispanic 8patient 8with 8limited 8English 8proficiency. 8It 8is 8important
8for 8the 8nurse 8to:
a. use 8maternity 8jargon 8in 8order 8for 8the 8patient 8to 8become 8familiar 8with 8these 8terms.
b. speak 8quickly 8and 8efficiently 8to 8expedite 8the 8visit.
c. provide 8the 8patient 8with 8handouts.
, d. assess 8whether 8the 8patient 8understands 8the 8discussion. 8- 8CORRECT 8ANSWER 8-ANS: 8D
Nurses 8contribute 8to 8health 8literacy 8by 8using 8simple, 8common 8words; 8avoiding 8jargon; 8and
8evaluating 8whether 8the 8patient 8understands 8the 8discussion. 8Speaking 8slowly 8and 8clearly 8and
8focusing 8on 8what 8is 8important 8increase 8understanding. 8Most 8patient 8education 8materials 8are
8written 8at 8too 8high 8a 8level 8for 8the 8average 8adult 8and 8may 8not 8be 8useful 8for 8a 8patient 8with
8limited 8English 8proficiency.
When 8managing 8health 8care 8for 8pregnant 8women 8at 8a 8prenatal 8clinic, 8the 8nurse 8should
8recognize 8that 8the 8most 8significant 8barrier 8to 8access 8to 8care 8is 8the 8pregnant 8woman's:
a. age.
b. minority 8status.
c. educational 8level.
d. inability 8to 8pay. 8- 8CORRECT 8ANSWER 8-ANS: 8D
The 8most 8significant 8barrier 8to 8health 8care 8access 8is 8the 8inability 8to 8pay 8for 8services; 8this 8is
8compounded 8by 8the 8fact 8that 8many 8physicians 8refuse 8to 8care 8for 8women 8who 8cannot 8pay.
8Although 8adolescent 8pregnant 8patients 8statistically 8receive 8less 8prenatal 8care, 8age 8is 8not 8the
8most 8significant 8barrier.
Significant 8disparities 8in 8morbidity 8and 8mortality 8rates 8exist 8for 8minority 8women; 8however,
8minority 8status 8is 8not 8the 8most 8significant 8barrier 8to 8access 8of 8care. 8Disparities 8in 8educational
8level 8are 8associated 8with 8morbidity 8and 8mortality 8rates; 8however, 8educational 8level 8is 8not 8the
8most 8significant 8barrier 8to 8access 8of 8care.
When 8the 8nurse 8is 8unsure 8about 8how 8to 8perform 8a 8patient 8care 8procedure, 8the 8best 8action
8would 8be 8to: