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MATERNAL CHILD NURSING CARE THE NEWBORN EXAM
WITH VERIFIED ANSWERS DETAILED RATIONALES
GRADED A+
Maternal Child Nursing Care The Newborn
SECTION 1: 21ST CENTURY MATERNITY NURSING & COMMUNITY CARE (Questions 1–25)
1. A nurse is assessing a newborn who is 2 hours old. Which finding should the nurse report to
the healthcare provider?
A. Respiratory rate of 60 breaths per minute
B. Heart rate of 180 beats per minute
C. Axillary temperature of 97.7°F
D. Weight of 7 pounds 5 ounces
Rationale: A heart rate of 180 beats per minute in a newborn is considered tachycardic and
should be reported. Normal heart rates for newborns typically range from 120 to 160 beats per
minute. Early detection of abnormal vital signs is crucial in preventing potential complications.
2. Which is true regarding perinatal nurses?
A. They provide care for only childbearing persons and babies
B. They provide care for the family unit throughout the childbearing experience
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C. They only work in hospital settings
D. They do not provide preconception care
Rationale: Perinatal nurses provide comprehensive care for the entire family unit, not just the
mother and baby. This includes preconception counseling, prenatal care, labor and delivery,
postpartum care, and newborn care.
3. A pregnant patient in her third trimester presents with swelling in her hands and feet.
What should the nurse assess next?
A. Maternal weight gain
B. Blood pressure
C. Fetal heart rate
D. Urine output
Rationale: Swelling in the hands and feet during the third trimester can indicate gestational
hypertension or preeclampsia. Assessing blood pressure is critical to determine if the patient is
experiencing elevated blood pressure levels, which necessitates further evaluation and
potentially urgent management.
4. What is a primary goal of family-centered maternity care?
A. Separating the mother from the newborn immediately after birth
B. Involving the family in the pregnancy and birth experience
C. Limiting visitation to immediate family only
D. Focusing solely on the medical needs of the mother
Rationale: Family-centered maternity care involves the family in the pregnancy and birth
experience, recognizing that the family is the primary support system for the mother and
newborn.
5. A nurse is teaching a group of expectant mothers about the signs of labor. Which statement
indicates that further teaching is needed?
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A. "I should wait until my contractions are five minutes apart before going to the hospital."
B. "I will go to the hospital if my water breaks."
C. "I should go to the hospital immediately if I experience vaginal bleeding."
D. "I can wait at home until my contractions are strong and regular."
Rationale: While contractions typically become regular and closer together during labor, the
timing of hospital admission varies based on individual factors such as parity, distance from the
hospital, and provider instructions. The statement "I should wait until my contractions are five
minutes apart" indicates a need for further teaching because there is no universal rule for when
to go to the hospital.
6. Which of the following is a key component of culturally competent maternity care?
A. Treating all patients the same regardless of cultural background
B. Understanding and respecting the patient's cultural beliefs and practices
C. Avoiding discussion of cultural differences
D. Imposing the nurse's cultural values on the patient
Rationale: Culturally competent care involves understanding and respecting the patient's
cultural beliefs, values, and practices, and incorporating them into the care plan.
7. What is the primary purpose of preconception counseling?
A. To treat existing medical conditions during pregnancy
B. To optimize health before pregnancy and reduce risks
C. To determine the sex of the baby
D. To schedule the delivery date
Rationale: Preconception counseling aims to optimize the woman's health before pregnancy,
identify and manage risk factors, and promote healthy behaviors to reduce the risk of
complications.
8. A nurse is providing care to a woman who has just experienced a miscarriage. Which action
best demonstrates compassionate care?
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A. Avoiding discussion of the loss
B. Acknowledging the loss and providing emotional support
C. Telling the woman she can have another baby
D. Focusing only on physical recovery
Rationale: Compassionate care after a miscarriage involves acknowledging the loss, providing
emotional support, and allowing the woman to express her feelings.
9. Which of the following is an example of a community-based maternity care service?
A. Hospital-based labor and delivery unit
B. Birth center staffed by certified nurse-midwives
C. Neonatal intensive care unit
D. Surgical suite for cesarean deliveries
Rationale: A birth center staffed by certified nurse-midwives is an example of a community-
based maternity care service that provides a home-like setting for low-risk births.
10. A nurse is caring for a family from a culture that practices traditional postpartum rituals.
Which action is most appropriate?
A. Discouraging the rituals
B. Asking the family about their practices and incorporating them as safely as possible
C. Ignoring the family's cultural preferences
D. Telling the family that hospital policy prohibits their rituals
Rationale: Culturally competent care involves asking the family about their practices and
incorporating them into the care plan as safely as possible.
11. What is the role of the nurse in promoting maternal-infant bonding?
A. Separating the mother and infant immediately after birth
B. Facilitating skin-to-skin contact and early breastfeeding
C. Limiting mother-infant interaction to feeding times
D. Discouraging rooming-in
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MATERNAL CHILD NURSING CARE THE NEWBORN EXAM
WITH VERIFIED ANSWERS DETAILED RATIONALES
GRADED A+
Maternal Child Nursing Care The Newborn
SECTION 1: 21ST CENTURY MATERNITY NURSING & COMMUNITY CARE (Questions 1–25)
1. A nurse is assessing a newborn who is 2 hours old. Which finding should the nurse report to
the healthcare provider?
A. Respiratory rate of 60 breaths per minute
B. Heart rate of 180 beats per minute
C. Axillary temperature of 97.7°F
D. Weight of 7 pounds 5 ounces
Rationale: A heart rate of 180 beats per minute in a newborn is considered tachycardic and
should be reported. Normal heart rates for newborns typically range from 120 to 160 beats per
minute. Early detection of abnormal vital signs is crucial in preventing potential complications.
2. Which is true regarding perinatal nurses?
A. They provide care for only childbearing persons and babies
B. They provide care for the family unit throughout the childbearing experience
1|Page
,Page 2 of 76
C. They only work in hospital settings
D. They do not provide preconception care
Rationale: Perinatal nurses provide comprehensive care for the entire family unit, not just the
mother and baby. This includes preconception counseling, prenatal care, labor and delivery,
postpartum care, and newborn care.
3. A pregnant patient in her third trimester presents with swelling in her hands and feet.
What should the nurse assess next?
A. Maternal weight gain
B. Blood pressure
C. Fetal heart rate
D. Urine output
Rationale: Swelling in the hands and feet during the third trimester can indicate gestational
hypertension or preeclampsia. Assessing blood pressure is critical to determine if the patient is
experiencing elevated blood pressure levels, which necessitates further evaluation and
potentially urgent management.
4. What is a primary goal of family-centered maternity care?
A. Separating the mother from the newborn immediately after birth
B. Involving the family in the pregnancy and birth experience
C. Limiting visitation to immediate family only
D. Focusing solely on the medical needs of the mother
Rationale: Family-centered maternity care involves the family in the pregnancy and birth
experience, recognizing that the family is the primary support system for the mother and
newborn.
5. A nurse is teaching a group of expectant mothers about the signs of labor. Which statement
indicates that further teaching is needed?
2|Page
,Page 3 of 76
A. "I should wait until my contractions are five minutes apart before going to the hospital."
B. "I will go to the hospital if my water breaks."
C. "I should go to the hospital immediately if I experience vaginal bleeding."
D. "I can wait at home until my contractions are strong and regular."
Rationale: While contractions typically become regular and closer together during labor, the
timing of hospital admission varies based on individual factors such as parity, distance from the
hospital, and provider instructions. The statement "I should wait until my contractions are five
minutes apart" indicates a need for further teaching because there is no universal rule for when
to go to the hospital.
6. Which of the following is a key component of culturally competent maternity care?
A. Treating all patients the same regardless of cultural background
B. Understanding and respecting the patient's cultural beliefs and practices
C. Avoiding discussion of cultural differences
D. Imposing the nurse's cultural values on the patient
Rationale: Culturally competent care involves understanding and respecting the patient's
cultural beliefs, values, and practices, and incorporating them into the care plan.
7. What is the primary purpose of preconception counseling?
A. To treat existing medical conditions during pregnancy
B. To optimize health before pregnancy and reduce risks
C. To determine the sex of the baby
D. To schedule the delivery date
Rationale: Preconception counseling aims to optimize the woman's health before pregnancy,
identify and manage risk factors, and promote healthy behaviors to reduce the risk of
complications.
8. A nurse is providing care to a woman who has just experienced a miscarriage. Which action
best demonstrates compassionate care?
3|Page
, Page 4 of 76
A. Avoiding discussion of the loss
B. Acknowledging the loss and providing emotional support
C. Telling the woman she can have another baby
D. Focusing only on physical recovery
Rationale: Compassionate care after a miscarriage involves acknowledging the loss, providing
emotional support, and allowing the woman to express her feelings.
9. Which of the following is an example of a community-based maternity care service?
A. Hospital-based labor and delivery unit
B. Birth center staffed by certified nurse-midwives
C. Neonatal intensive care unit
D. Surgical suite for cesarean deliveries
Rationale: A birth center staffed by certified nurse-midwives is an example of a community-
based maternity care service that provides a home-like setting for low-risk births.
10. A nurse is caring for a family from a culture that practices traditional postpartum rituals.
Which action is most appropriate?
A. Discouraging the rituals
B. Asking the family about their practices and incorporating them as safely as possible
C. Ignoring the family's cultural preferences
D. Telling the family that hospital policy prohibits their rituals
Rationale: Culturally competent care involves asking the family about their practices and
incorporating them into the care plan as safely as possible.
11. What is the role of the nurse in promoting maternal-infant bonding?
A. Separating the mother and infant immediately after birth
B. Facilitating skin-to-skin contact and early breastfeeding
C. Limiting mother-infant interaction to feeding times
D. Discouraging rooming-in
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