HESI OB/MATERNITY [2026] | A+ VERIFIED ANSWERS |
UPDATED ACTUAL QUESTIONS | DETAILED STUDY GUIDE
• Twenty minutes after a continuous epidural anesthetic is administered, a
laboring client's blood pressure drops from 120/80 to 90/60. What action will the
nurse take?
A. Notify the healthcare provider or anesthesiologist immediately
B. Continue to assess the blood pressure q5 minutes
C. Place the woman in a lateral position
D. Turn off the continuous epidural -✓✓ANSWER: C. Place the woman in a lateral
position
These symptoms are suggestive of hypotension which is a side effect of epidural
anesthesia. Raising the foot of the bed will increase venous return and provide
blood to the vital areas. Increasing the IV fluid rate using a balanced non-dextrose
solution and ensuring that the client is in a lateral position are also appropriate
interventions, and then checking the patients blood pressure.
• A newborn infant is brought to the nursery from the birthing suite. The nurse
notices that the infant is breathing satisfactorily but appears dusky. What action
should the nurse take first?
A. Notify the pediatrician immediately
B. Suction the infant's nares, then the oral cavity
C. Check the infant's oxygen saturation rate
D. Position the infant on the right side -✓✓ANSWER: C. Check the infant's oxygen
saturation rate
When possible, the nurse should first obtain measurable objective data; an
oxygen saturation rate provides such information.
,FYI. The pediatrician should be notified if the oxygen saturation rate is below 90%
• The nurse is teaching breastfeeding to prospective parents in a childbirth
education class. Which instruction should the nurse include as content in the
class?
A. Begin as soon as your baby is born to establish a four-hour feeding schedule
B. Resting helps with milk production. Ask that your baby be fed at night in the
nursery
C. Feed your baby every 2 to 3 hours or on demand, whichever comes first
D. Do not allow your baby to nurse any longer than the prescribed number of
minutes -✓✓ANSWER: C. Feed your baby every 2 to 3 hours or on demand,
whichever comes first
Breastfeeding infants should be kept in the room with the mother and fed every 2
to 3 hours or on demand--whichever comes first.
• A client is admitted with the diagnosis of total placenta previa. Which finding is
most important for the nurse to report to the healthcare provider immediately?
A. Heart rate of 100 beats/minute
B. Variable fetal heart rate
C. Onset of uterine contractions
D. Burning on urination -✓✓ANSWER: C. Onset of uterine contractions
Total (complete) placenta previa involves the placenta covering the entire cervical
os (opening). The onset of uterine contractions places the client at risk for dilation
and placental separation, which causes painless hemorrhaging.
,• A 42-week gestational client is receiving an intravenous infusion of oxytocin
(Pitocin) to augment early labor. the nurse should discontinue the oxytocin
infusion for which pattern of contractions?
A. Transition labor with contractions every 2 minutes, lasting 90 seconds each
B. Early labor with contractions every 5 minutes, lasting 40 seconds each
C. Active labor with contractions every 31 minutes, lasting 60 seconds each
D. Active labor with contractions every 3 to 3 minutes, lasting 70 to 80 seconds
each -✓✓ANSWER: A. Transition labor with contractions every 2 minutes, lasting
90 seconds each
When oxytocin causes uterine hyperstimulation as evidence by inadequate
resting time between contractions, the oxytocin infusion should be discontinued
because placental perfusion is impeded
• Twenty-four hours after admission to the newborn nursery, a full-term male
infant develops localized edema on the right side of his head. The nurse knows
that, in the newborn, an accumulation of blood between the periosteum and skull
which does not cross the suture line is a newborn variation known as
A. a cephalhematoma, caused by forceps trauma and may last up to 8 weeks
B. a subarachnoid hematoma, which requires immediate drainage to prevent
further complications
C. molding, caused by pressure during labor and will disappear withing 2 to 3 days
D. a subdural hematoma which can result in lifelong damage -✓✓ANSWER: A. a
cephalhematoma, caused by forceps trauma and may last up to 8 weeks
, Cephalhematoma, a slight abnormal variation of the newborn, usually arises
within the first 24 hours after delivery. Trauma from delivery causes capillary
bleeding between the periosteum and the skull.
• The nurse is assessing a 3-day old infant with a cephalohematoma in the
newborn nursery. Which assessment finding should the nurse report to the
healthcare provider?
A. Yellowish tinge to the skin
B. Babinski reflex present bilaterally
C. Pink papular rash on the face
D. Moro reflex noted after a loud noise -✓✓ANSWER: A. Yellowish tinge to the
skin
Cephalohematomas are characterized by bleeding between the bone and its
covering, the periosteum. Due to the breakdown of the red blood cells within a
hematoma, the infant is at a greater risk for jaundice, so a yellowish tinge to the
skin should be reported.
• After each feeding, a 3-day-old newborn is spitting up large amounts of Enfamil
Newborn Formula, a nonfat cow's milk formula. The pediatric healthcare provider
changes the neonate's formula to Simialc Soy Isomil formula, a soy protein isolate
based infant formula. What information should the nurse provide to the mother
about the newly prescribed formula?
A. The new formula is a coconut milk formula used with babies with impaired fat
absorption
B. enfamil Formula is a demineralized whey formula that is needed with diarrhea
C. The new formula is a casein protein source that is low in phenylalanine
UPDATED ACTUAL QUESTIONS | DETAILED STUDY GUIDE
• Twenty minutes after a continuous epidural anesthetic is administered, a
laboring client's blood pressure drops from 120/80 to 90/60. What action will the
nurse take?
A. Notify the healthcare provider or anesthesiologist immediately
B. Continue to assess the blood pressure q5 minutes
C. Place the woman in a lateral position
D. Turn off the continuous epidural -✓✓ANSWER: C. Place the woman in a lateral
position
These symptoms are suggestive of hypotension which is a side effect of epidural
anesthesia. Raising the foot of the bed will increase venous return and provide
blood to the vital areas. Increasing the IV fluid rate using a balanced non-dextrose
solution and ensuring that the client is in a lateral position are also appropriate
interventions, and then checking the patients blood pressure.
• A newborn infant is brought to the nursery from the birthing suite. The nurse
notices that the infant is breathing satisfactorily but appears dusky. What action
should the nurse take first?
A. Notify the pediatrician immediately
B. Suction the infant's nares, then the oral cavity
C. Check the infant's oxygen saturation rate
D. Position the infant on the right side -✓✓ANSWER: C. Check the infant's oxygen
saturation rate
When possible, the nurse should first obtain measurable objective data; an
oxygen saturation rate provides such information.
,FYI. The pediatrician should be notified if the oxygen saturation rate is below 90%
• The nurse is teaching breastfeeding to prospective parents in a childbirth
education class. Which instruction should the nurse include as content in the
class?
A. Begin as soon as your baby is born to establish a four-hour feeding schedule
B. Resting helps with milk production. Ask that your baby be fed at night in the
nursery
C. Feed your baby every 2 to 3 hours or on demand, whichever comes first
D. Do not allow your baby to nurse any longer than the prescribed number of
minutes -✓✓ANSWER: C. Feed your baby every 2 to 3 hours or on demand,
whichever comes first
Breastfeeding infants should be kept in the room with the mother and fed every 2
to 3 hours or on demand--whichever comes first.
• A client is admitted with the diagnosis of total placenta previa. Which finding is
most important for the nurse to report to the healthcare provider immediately?
A. Heart rate of 100 beats/minute
B. Variable fetal heart rate
C. Onset of uterine contractions
D. Burning on urination -✓✓ANSWER: C. Onset of uterine contractions
Total (complete) placenta previa involves the placenta covering the entire cervical
os (opening). The onset of uterine contractions places the client at risk for dilation
and placental separation, which causes painless hemorrhaging.
,• A 42-week gestational client is receiving an intravenous infusion of oxytocin
(Pitocin) to augment early labor. the nurse should discontinue the oxytocin
infusion for which pattern of contractions?
A. Transition labor with contractions every 2 minutes, lasting 90 seconds each
B. Early labor with contractions every 5 minutes, lasting 40 seconds each
C. Active labor with contractions every 31 minutes, lasting 60 seconds each
D. Active labor with contractions every 3 to 3 minutes, lasting 70 to 80 seconds
each -✓✓ANSWER: A. Transition labor with contractions every 2 minutes, lasting
90 seconds each
When oxytocin causes uterine hyperstimulation as evidence by inadequate
resting time between contractions, the oxytocin infusion should be discontinued
because placental perfusion is impeded
• Twenty-four hours after admission to the newborn nursery, a full-term male
infant develops localized edema on the right side of his head. The nurse knows
that, in the newborn, an accumulation of blood between the periosteum and skull
which does not cross the suture line is a newborn variation known as
A. a cephalhematoma, caused by forceps trauma and may last up to 8 weeks
B. a subarachnoid hematoma, which requires immediate drainage to prevent
further complications
C. molding, caused by pressure during labor and will disappear withing 2 to 3 days
D. a subdural hematoma which can result in lifelong damage -✓✓ANSWER: A. a
cephalhematoma, caused by forceps trauma and may last up to 8 weeks
, Cephalhematoma, a slight abnormal variation of the newborn, usually arises
within the first 24 hours after delivery. Trauma from delivery causes capillary
bleeding between the periosteum and the skull.
• The nurse is assessing a 3-day old infant with a cephalohematoma in the
newborn nursery. Which assessment finding should the nurse report to the
healthcare provider?
A. Yellowish tinge to the skin
B. Babinski reflex present bilaterally
C. Pink papular rash on the face
D. Moro reflex noted after a loud noise -✓✓ANSWER: A. Yellowish tinge to the
skin
Cephalohematomas are characterized by bleeding between the bone and its
covering, the periosteum. Due to the breakdown of the red blood cells within a
hematoma, the infant is at a greater risk for jaundice, so a yellowish tinge to the
skin should be reported.
• After each feeding, a 3-day-old newborn is spitting up large amounts of Enfamil
Newborn Formula, a nonfat cow's milk formula. The pediatric healthcare provider
changes the neonate's formula to Simialc Soy Isomil formula, a soy protein isolate
based infant formula. What information should the nurse provide to the mother
about the newly prescribed formula?
A. The new formula is a coconut milk formula used with babies with impaired fat
absorption
B. enfamil Formula is a demineralized whey formula that is needed with diarrhea
C. The new formula is a casein protein source that is low in phenylalanine
