ENA Obstetric Emergencies Study Guide 2026 | Emergency Nursing OB Review &
Exam Prep
Which finding is characteristic of preeclampsia?
A. Seizures
B. Lower extremity edema
C. Proteinuria
D. Vaginal bleeding - ANS ✔✔C. Proteinuria
For a patient with an obstetric emergency, what are the priorities during the initial assessment?
A. Airway, breathing, and circulation
B. Airway, breathing, and fetal heart rate
C. Airway, fetal heart rate, and positioning
D. Airway, gestational age, and fetal heart rate - ANS ✔✔A. Airway, breathing, and circulation
Your patient is 37 weeks pregnant and reports some vaginal bleeding. She denies pain and
trauma. On assessment, you detect a fetal heart rate of 140 beats per minute. Which disorder
should you suspect?
A. Ectopic pregnancy
B. Placenta previa
C. Abruptio placentae
D. Spontaneous abortion - ANS ✔✔B. Placenta previa
In a pregnant patient, which assessment finding may signal the onset of preeclampsia?
A. A systolic blood pressure of 20 mm Hg more than the baseline
B. A diastolic blood pressure of less than 90 mm Hg
C. A diastolic blood pressure of 10 mm Hg more than the baseline
Exam Prep
Which finding is characteristic of preeclampsia?
A. Seizures
B. Lower extremity edema
C. Proteinuria
D. Vaginal bleeding - ANS ✔✔C. Proteinuria
For a patient with an obstetric emergency, what are the priorities during the initial assessment?
A. Airway, breathing, and circulation
B. Airway, breathing, and fetal heart rate
C. Airway, fetal heart rate, and positioning
D. Airway, gestational age, and fetal heart rate - ANS ✔✔A. Airway, breathing, and circulation
Your patient is 37 weeks pregnant and reports some vaginal bleeding. She denies pain and
trauma. On assessment, you detect a fetal heart rate of 140 beats per minute. Which disorder
should you suspect?
A. Ectopic pregnancy
B. Placenta previa
C. Abruptio placentae
D. Spontaneous abortion - ANS ✔✔B. Placenta previa
In a pregnant patient, which assessment finding may signal the onset of preeclampsia?
A. A systolic blood pressure of 20 mm Hg more than the baseline
B. A diastolic blood pressure of less than 90 mm Hg
C. A diastolic blood pressure of 10 mm Hg more than the baseline