NUR 254 – CHILDBEARING / CHILDCARING FAMILIES NURSING: COMPREHENSIVE ASSESSMENT
QUESTIONS AND CORRECT ANSWERS (VERIFIED ANSWERS) PLUS RATIONALES 2026 Q&A | INSTANT
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CORE DOMAINS
- Antepartum Nursing Care and Fetal Development
- Intrapartum Nursing Care and Labor Management
- Postpartum Maternal Physiological and Psychological Adaptation
- Newborn Assessment and Transition to Extrauterine Life
- High-Risk Pregnancy and Obstetric Emergencies
- Family-Centered Care, Culture, and Ethical-Legal Issues
- Child Caring: Pediatric Common Illnesses and Health Promotion
- Pharmacological Therapies in Maternal-Child Nursing
- Breastfeeding and Infant Nutrition
- Reproductive Health and Family Planning
INTRODUCTION
*This comprehensive examination is designed for NUR 254 – Childbearing / Child Caring Families Nursing at
Galen College of Nursing. It assesses foundational knowledge, clinical reasoning, and evidence-based practice
across the perinatal continuum and pediatric primary care. Questions are formatted as multiple-choice and
scenario-based items that mirror real-world clinical decision-making. Emphasis is placed on safety, family
integration, legal and ethical standards, and nursing prioritization. Each question includes a verified correct
answer and a detailed rationale to reinforce learning. This assessment serves as a final exam readiness tool and
a review for NCLEX-style application in maternal-child nursing.*
,SECTION ONE: QUESTIONS 1–100
Question 1
A nurse is caring for a client at 38 weeks gestation who reports a sudden gush of clear fluid from the vagina.
Which action should the nurse take first?
A. Assess fetal heart rate
B. Perform a nitrazine test
C. Check cervical dilation
D. Administer antibiotics
🟢 A. Assess fetal heart rate
🔴 RATIONALE: The priority action after suspected rupture of membranes is to assess fetal heart rate to detect
potential cord compression or prolapse, which can occur after sudden fluid loss. While nitrazine test confirms
rupture and antibiotics may be indicated for GBS prophylaxis, fetal assessment is the first and most critical step.
Question 2
A postpartum client reports feeling sad, tearful, and overwhelmed on day three after delivery. She is able to care
for the infant but feels exhausted. Which condition is most likely?
A. Postpartum psychosis
B. Postpartum depression
C. Postpartum blues
D. Postpartum anxiety disorder
🟢 C. Postpartum blues
,🔴 RATIONALE: Postpartum blues occur in up to 80% of women, typically beginning 2–3 days postpartum and
resolving within two weeks. Symptoms include mood lability, tearfulness, and fatigue without functional
impairment. Postpartum depression lasts longer and involves more persistent symptoms; psychosis includes
hallucinations or delusions.
Question 3
A nurse is teaching a pregnant client about expected cardiovascular changes during pregnancy. Which finding is
considered normal?
A. Decreased heart rate by 10–15 beats per minute
B. Increased blood pressure in the second trimester
C. Physiologic anemia due to hemodilution
D. Decreased cardiac output after 28 weeks
🟢 C. Physiologic anemia due to hemodilution
🔴 RATIONALE: Physiologic anemia of pregnancy occurs because plasma volume increases disproportionately
to red blood cell mass, causing dilutional anemia. Heart rate normally increases 10–15 bpm, blood pressure
slightly decreases mid-pregnancy, and cardiac output increases by 30–50%.
Question 4
A nurse receives a report that a newborn has Apgar scores of 6 at 1 minute and 8 at 5 minutes. What is the
correct interpretation?
A. The newborn is severely compromised and requires resuscitation
B. The newborn is transitioning normally with improvement
C. The newborn has a neurological deficit
D. The newborn requires immediate NICU transfer
, 🟢 B. The newborn is transitioning normally with improvement
🔴 RATIONALE: Apgar scores of 4–6 at 1 minute indicate moderate difficulty but often improve with
stimulation. A score of 8 at 5 minutes is normal (7–10). This pattern indicates effective transition and response
to initial interventions. Scores below 4 require resuscitation.
Question 5
A nurse is assessing a 15-year-old primigravida at 10 weeks gestation. Which finding requires immediate further
evaluation?
A. Blood pressure 118/76 mm Hg
B. Urine dipstick negative for glucose
C. Weight gain of 2 pounds since last visit
D. Dark red vaginal bleeding with mild cramping
🟢 D. Dark red vaginal bleeding with mild cramping
🔴 RATIONALE: Dark red bleeding with cramping in first trimester may indicate spontaneous abortion or
ectopic pregnancy. Weight gain of 2 pounds is acceptable; BP and urine findings are normal. Any bleeding in
pregnancy warrants prompt investigation.
Question 6
A nurse is administering magnesium sulfate to a client with severe preeclampsia. Which finding indicates
magnesium toxicity?
A. Respiratory rate of 14 breaths per minute
B. Deep tendon reflexes 2+
C. Urinary output of 35 mL per hour
D. Absent deep tendon reflexes
QUESTIONS AND CORRECT ANSWERS (VERIFIED ANSWERS) PLUS RATIONALES 2026 Q&A | INSTANT
DOWNLOAD PDF
CORE DOMAINS
- Antepartum Nursing Care and Fetal Development
- Intrapartum Nursing Care and Labor Management
- Postpartum Maternal Physiological and Psychological Adaptation
- Newborn Assessment and Transition to Extrauterine Life
- High-Risk Pregnancy and Obstetric Emergencies
- Family-Centered Care, Culture, and Ethical-Legal Issues
- Child Caring: Pediatric Common Illnesses and Health Promotion
- Pharmacological Therapies in Maternal-Child Nursing
- Breastfeeding and Infant Nutrition
- Reproductive Health and Family Planning
INTRODUCTION
*This comprehensive examination is designed for NUR 254 – Childbearing / Child Caring Families Nursing at
Galen College of Nursing. It assesses foundational knowledge, clinical reasoning, and evidence-based practice
across the perinatal continuum and pediatric primary care. Questions are formatted as multiple-choice and
scenario-based items that mirror real-world clinical decision-making. Emphasis is placed on safety, family
integration, legal and ethical standards, and nursing prioritization. Each question includes a verified correct
answer and a detailed rationale to reinforce learning. This assessment serves as a final exam readiness tool and
a review for NCLEX-style application in maternal-child nursing.*
,SECTION ONE: QUESTIONS 1–100
Question 1
A nurse is caring for a client at 38 weeks gestation who reports a sudden gush of clear fluid from the vagina.
Which action should the nurse take first?
A. Assess fetal heart rate
B. Perform a nitrazine test
C. Check cervical dilation
D. Administer antibiotics
🟢 A. Assess fetal heart rate
🔴 RATIONALE: The priority action after suspected rupture of membranes is to assess fetal heart rate to detect
potential cord compression or prolapse, which can occur after sudden fluid loss. While nitrazine test confirms
rupture and antibiotics may be indicated for GBS prophylaxis, fetal assessment is the first and most critical step.
Question 2
A postpartum client reports feeling sad, tearful, and overwhelmed on day three after delivery. She is able to care
for the infant but feels exhausted. Which condition is most likely?
A. Postpartum psychosis
B. Postpartum depression
C. Postpartum blues
D. Postpartum anxiety disorder
🟢 C. Postpartum blues
,🔴 RATIONALE: Postpartum blues occur in up to 80% of women, typically beginning 2–3 days postpartum and
resolving within two weeks. Symptoms include mood lability, tearfulness, and fatigue without functional
impairment. Postpartum depression lasts longer and involves more persistent symptoms; psychosis includes
hallucinations or delusions.
Question 3
A nurse is teaching a pregnant client about expected cardiovascular changes during pregnancy. Which finding is
considered normal?
A. Decreased heart rate by 10–15 beats per minute
B. Increased blood pressure in the second trimester
C. Physiologic anemia due to hemodilution
D. Decreased cardiac output after 28 weeks
🟢 C. Physiologic anemia due to hemodilution
🔴 RATIONALE: Physiologic anemia of pregnancy occurs because plasma volume increases disproportionately
to red blood cell mass, causing dilutional anemia. Heart rate normally increases 10–15 bpm, blood pressure
slightly decreases mid-pregnancy, and cardiac output increases by 30–50%.
Question 4
A nurse receives a report that a newborn has Apgar scores of 6 at 1 minute and 8 at 5 minutes. What is the
correct interpretation?
A. The newborn is severely compromised and requires resuscitation
B. The newborn is transitioning normally with improvement
C. The newborn has a neurological deficit
D. The newborn requires immediate NICU transfer
, 🟢 B. The newborn is transitioning normally with improvement
🔴 RATIONALE: Apgar scores of 4–6 at 1 minute indicate moderate difficulty but often improve with
stimulation. A score of 8 at 5 minutes is normal (7–10). This pattern indicates effective transition and response
to initial interventions. Scores below 4 require resuscitation.
Question 5
A nurse is assessing a 15-year-old primigravida at 10 weeks gestation. Which finding requires immediate further
evaluation?
A. Blood pressure 118/76 mm Hg
B. Urine dipstick negative for glucose
C. Weight gain of 2 pounds since last visit
D. Dark red vaginal bleeding with mild cramping
🟢 D. Dark red vaginal bleeding with mild cramping
🔴 RATIONALE: Dark red bleeding with cramping in first trimester may indicate spontaneous abortion or
ectopic pregnancy. Weight gain of 2 pounds is acceptable; BP and urine findings are normal. Any bleeding in
pregnancy warrants prompt investigation.
Question 6
A nurse is administering magnesium sulfate to a client with severe preeclampsia. Which finding indicates
magnesium toxicity?
A. Respiratory rate of 14 breaths per minute
B. Deep tendon reflexes 2+
C. Urinary output of 35 mL per hour
D. Absent deep tendon reflexes
