HESI OB MATERNITY TEST PAPER ANSWERS AND
QUESTIONS SET A+
✔✔During a prenatal visit, the nurse discusses with a client the effects of smoking on
the fetus. When compared with nonsmokers, mothers who smoke during pregnancy
tend to produce infants who have
A. lower Apgar scores
B. lower birth weights
C. respiratory distress
D. a higher rate of congenital anomalies - ✔✔B. lower birth weights
lower birth weights
Smoking is associated with low-birth-weight infants (B). Mothers are encouraged not to
smoke during pregnancy. To date, significant relationships have NOT been found
between smoking and lower Apgar scores, respiratory distress, a higher rate of
congenital anomalies.
✔✔A mother who is breast feeding her baby receives instructions from the nurse. Which
instruction is most effective to prevent nipple soreness?
A. Wear a cotton bra
B. Increase nursing time gradually
C. Correctly place the infant on the breast
D. Manually express a small amount of milk before nursing - ✔✔C. Correctly place the
infant on the breast
The most common cause of nipple soreness is incorrect positioning
✔✔In developing a teaching plan for expectant parents, the nurse plans to include
information about when the parents can expect the infant's fontanels to close. The nurse
bases the explanation on knowledge that for the normal newborn, the
A. anterior fontanel closes at 2 to 4 months and the posterior by the end of the first
week
,B. anterior fontanel closes at 5 to 7 months and the posterior by the end of the second
week
C. anterior fontanel closes at 8 to 11 months and the posterior by the end of the first
month
D. anterior fontanel closes at 12 to 18 months and the posterior by the end of the
second month - ✔✔D. anterior fontanel closes at 12 to 18 months and the posterior by
the end of the second month
This should be memorized for NCLEX
✔✔When assessing a client who is at 12-weeks gestation, the nurse recommends that
she and her husband consider attending childbirth preparation classes. When is the
best time for the couple to attend these classes?
A. At 16-weeks gestation
B. At 20-weeks gestation
C. At 24-weeks gestation
D. At 30-weeks gestation - ✔✔D. At 30-weeks gestation
at 30 weeks gestation is closest (of the options) to the time parents would be ready for
such classes. Learning is facilitated by an interested pupil! The couple is most
interested in childbirth toward the end of the pregnancy when they are psychologically
ready for the termination of the pregnancy, and the birth of their child is an immediate
concern.
✔✔The nurse should encourage the laboring client to begin pushing when
A. there is only an anterior or posterior lip of cervix left
B. the client describes the need to have a bowel movement
C. the cervix is completely dilated
D. the cervix is completely effaced - ✔✔C. the cervix is completely dilated
Pushing begins with the second stage of labor, i.e., when the cervix is completely
dilated at 10 cm (C). If pushing begins before the cervix is completely dilated the cervix
can become edematous and may never completely dilate, necessitating an operative
delivery. Many primigravidas begin active labor 100% effaced and then proceed to
dilate.
✔✔The nurse is counseling a couple who has sought information about conceiving. For
teaching purposes, the nurse should know that ovulation usually occurs
A. two weeks before menstruation
B. immediately after menstruation
C. immediately before menstruation
D. three weeks before menstruation - ✔✔A. two weeks before menstruation
Ovulation occurs 14 days before the first day of the menstrual period
, ✔✔The nurse instructs a laboring client to use accelerated-blow breathing. The client
begins to complain of tingling fingers and dizziness. What action should the nurse take?
A. Administer oxygen by face mask
B. Notify the healthcare provider of the client's symptoms
C. Have the client breathe into her cupped hands
D. Check the clients blood pressure and fetal heart rate - ✔✔C. Have the client breathe
into her cupped hands
Tingling fingers and dizziness are signs of hyperventilation (blowing off too much carbon
dioxide). Hyperventilation is treated by retaining carbon dioxide. This can be facilitated
by breathing into a paper bag or cupped hands.
✔✔When preparing a class on newborn care for expectant parents, what content should
the nurse teach concerning the newborn infant born at term gestation?
A. Milia are red marks made by forceps and will disappear within 7 to 10 days
B. Meconium is the first stool and is usually yellow gold in color
C. Vernix is a white, cheesy substance, predominately located in the skin folds
D. Pseudostrabismus found in newborns is treated by minor surgery - ✔✔C. Vernix is a
white, cheesy substance, predominately located in the skin folds
Vernix, found in the folds of the skin, is a characteristic of term infants.
Also, Meconium (first stool) is tarry black, Milia (milk dots) is white, pinpoint spots
usually found over the nose and chin which represent blockage of the sebaceous
glands, and Pseudostrabismus (crossed eyes) is normal at birth but should be corrected
if it persists after 6 to 9 months of age.
✔✔An expectant father tells the nurse he fears that his wife "is losing her mind." He
states she is constantly rubbing her abdomen and talking to the baby, and that she
actually reprimands the baby when it moves too much. What recommendation should
the nurse make to this expectant father?
A. Reassure him that these are normal reactions to pregnancy and suggest that he
discuss his concerns with the childbirth education nurse
B. Help him to understand that his wife is experiencing normal symptoms of
ambivalence about pregnancy and no action is needed
C. Ask him to observe his wife's behavior carefully for the next few weeks and report
any similar behavior to the nurse at the next prenatal visit
D. Let him know that these behaviors are part of normal maternal/fetal bonding which
occur once the mother feels fetal movement - ✔✔D. Let him know that these behaviors
are part of normal maternal/fetal bonding which occur once the mother feels fetal
movement
These behaviors are positive signs of maternal/fetal bonding.
QUESTIONS SET A+
✔✔During a prenatal visit, the nurse discusses with a client the effects of smoking on
the fetus. When compared with nonsmokers, mothers who smoke during pregnancy
tend to produce infants who have
A. lower Apgar scores
B. lower birth weights
C. respiratory distress
D. a higher rate of congenital anomalies - ✔✔B. lower birth weights
lower birth weights
Smoking is associated with low-birth-weight infants (B). Mothers are encouraged not to
smoke during pregnancy. To date, significant relationships have NOT been found
between smoking and lower Apgar scores, respiratory distress, a higher rate of
congenital anomalies.
✔✔A mother who is breast feeding her baby receives instructions from the nurse. Which
instruction is most effective to prevent nipple soreness?
A. Wear a cotton bra
B. Increase nursing time gradually
C. Correctly place the infant on the breast
D. Manually express a small amount of milk before nursing - ✔✔C. Correctly place the
infant on the breast
The most common cause of nipple soreness is incorrect positioning
✔✔In developing a teaching plan for expectant parents, the nurse plans to include
information about when the parents can expect the infant's fontanels to close. The nurse
bases the explanation on knowledge that for the normal newborn, the
A. anterior fontanel closes at 2 to 4 months and the posterior by the end of the first
week
,B. anterior fontanel closes at 5 to 7 months and the posterior by the end of the second
week
C. anterior fontanel closes at 8 to 11 months and the posterior by the end of the first
month
D. anterior fontanel closes at 12 to 18 months and the posterior by the end of the
second month - ✔✔D. anterior fontanel closes at 12 to 18 months and the posterior by
the end of the second month
This should be memorized for NCLEX
✔✔When assessing a client who is at 12-weeks gestation, the nurse recommends that
she and her husband consider attending childbirth preparation classes. When is the
best time for the couple to attend these classes?
A. At 16-weeks gestation
B. At 20-weeks gestation
C. At 24-weeks gestation
D. At 30-weeks gestation - ✔✔D. At 30-weeks gestation
at 30 weeks gestation is closest (of the options) to the time parents would be ready for
such classes. Learning is facilitated by an interested pupil! The couple is most
interested in childbirth toward the end of the pregnancy when they are psychologically
ready for the termination of the pregnancy, and the birth of their child is an immediate
concern.
✔✔The nurse should encourage the laboring client to begin pushing when
A. there is only an anterior or posterior lip of cervix left
B. the client describes the need to have a bowel movement
C. the cervix is completely dilated
D. the cervix is completely effaced - ✔✔C. the cervix is completely dilated
Pushing begins with the second stage of labor, i.e., when the cervix is completely
dilated at 10 cm (C). If pushing begins before the cervix is completely dilated the cervix
can become edematous and may never completely dilate, necessitating an operative
delivery. Many primigravidas begin active labor 100% effaced and then proceed to
dilate.
✔✔The nurse is counseling a couple who has sought information about conceiving. For
teaching purposes, the nurse should know that ovulation usually occurs
A. two weeks before menstruation
B. immediately after menstruation
C. immediately before menstruation
D. three weeks before menstruation - ✔✔A. two weeks before menstruation
Ovulation occurs 14 days before the first day of the menstrual period
, ✔✔The nurse instructs a laboring client to use accelerated-blow breathing. The client
begins to complain of tingling fingers and dizziness. What action should the nurse take?
A. Administer oxygen by face mask
B. Notify the healthcare provider of the client's symptoms
C. Have the client breathe into her cupped hands
D. Check the clients blood pressure and fetal heart rate - ✔✔C. Have the client breathe
into her cupped hands
Tingling fingers and dizziness are signs of hyperventilation (blowing off too much carbon
dioxide). Hyperventilation is treated by retaining carbon dioxide. This can be facilitated
by breathing into a paper bag or cupped hands.
✔✔When preparing a class on newborn care for expectant parents, what content should
the nurse teach concerning the newborn infant born at term gestation?
A. Milia are red marks made by forceps and will disappear within 7 to 10 days
B. Meconium is the first stool and is usually yellow gold in color
C. Vernix is a white, cheesy substance, predominately located in the skin folds
D. Pseudostrabismus found in newborns is treated by minor surgery - ✔✔C. Vernix is a
white, cheesy substance, predominately located in the skin folds
Vernix, found in the folds of the skin, is a characteristic of term infants.
Also, Meconium (first stool) is tarry black, Milia (milk dots) is white, pinpoint spots
usually found over the nose and chin which represent blockage of the sebaceous
glands, and Pseudostrabismus (crossed eyes) is normal at birth but should be corrected
if it persists after 6 to 9 months of age.
✔✔An expectant father tells the nurse he fears that his wife "is losing her mind." He
states she is constantly rubbing her abdomen and talking to the baby, and that she
actually reprimands the baby when it moves too much. What recommendation should
the nurse make to this expectant father?
A. Reassure him that these are normal reactions to pregnancy and suggest that he
discuss his concerns with the childbirth education nurse
B. Help him to understand that his wife is experiencing normal symptoms of
ambivalence about pregnancy and no action is needed
C. Ask him to observe his wife's behavior carefully for the next few weeks and report
any similar behavior to the nurse at the next prenatal visit
D. Let him know that these behaviors are part of normal maternal/fetal bonding which
occur once the mother feels fetal movement - ✔✔D. Let him know that these behaviors
are part of normal maternal/fetal bonding which occur once the mother feels fetal
movement
These behaviors are positive signs of maternal/fetal bonding.
