Maternity and Pediatric Nursing
5th Edition
• Author(s)Susan Scott Ricci; Terri Kyle; Susan Carman
• PublisherPublished by Wolters Kluwer Health Copyright©
2025
• Print ISBN: 9781975220419
TEST BANK
Chapter 1: The History of Maternal and
Newborn Health and Health Care
A nursing student is researching the historical impact of the
Sheppard-Towner Act of 1921. Which outcome best
demonstrates the primary success of this legislation?
A. It established the first professional standards for midwifery
practice.
B. It led to a dramatic decrease in maternal mortality rates by
funding prenatal and childhood clinics.
C. It provided federal funding for research into the causes of
puerperal fever.
D. It mandated compulsory vaccination for all children entering
public school.
,Correct Answer: B
Rationales:
• Correct: The Sheppard-Towner Act (1921) was the first
major federal initiative to improve maternal and child
health. It provided funds for states to establish prenatal and
well-child clinics, leading to a significant reduction in
maternal and infant mortality by providing education and
access to care.
• Incorrect A: While it involved nurses and midwives, its
primary aim was not standardizing their practice but
providing direct public health services.
• Incorrect C: The cause of puerperal fever was identified
by Semmelweis long before this act, and the act focused on
clinical care, not specific research.
• Incorrect D: Vaccination mandates were, and remain,
primarily a state-level function, not the focus of this federal
act.
Teaching Point: Sheppard-Towner established the federal
government's role in funding maternal-child health
programs.
Citation: Ricci, S., Kyle, T., & Carman, S.
(2021). Maternity and Pediatric Nursing (5th ed.). Wolters
Kluwer. Chapter 1, The History of Maternal and Newborn
Health and Health Care.
2. Chapter 1, The History of Child Health and Child Health
Care
A pediatric nurse is explaining the concept of "childhood" as a
,distinct life stage to a group of nursing students. Which
historical development was most instrumental in creating this
modern perception?
A. The passage of child labor laws during the Industrial
Revolution.
B. The discovery of antibiotics in the early 20th century.
C. The publication of Dr. Benjamin Spock's baby and child care
book.
D. The development of specialized pediatric hospitals.
Correct Answer: A
Rationales:
• Correct: Prior to the Industrial Revolution, children were
often viewed as small adults. The movement to regulate
child labor legally recognized that children required
protection and were not suited for adult work,
fundamentally shifting the perception of childhood.
• Incorrect B: While antibiotics drastically reduced child
mortality, the concept of childhood as a protected stage was
emerging before this.
• Incorrect C: Spock's book influenced parenting styles but
came after the cultural shift had begun.
• Incorrect D: Specialized hospitals were a result of the new
perception of childhood, not the primary cause.
Teaching Point: Child labor laws legally defined
childhood as a period requiring protection, not labor.
Citation: Ricci, Kyle, & Carman (2021). Chapter 1, The
History of Child Health and Child Health Care.
, 3. Chapter 1, Mortality
When reviewing national health statistics, a nurse identifies that
the infant mortality rate (IMR) is a key indicator of a nation's
overall health. Which factor is the leading cause of infant
mortality in the United States?
A. Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)
B. Congenital malformations and chromosomal abnormalities
C. Maternal complications of pregnancy
D. Accidents (unintentional injuries)
Correct Answer: B
Rationales:
• Correct: Congenital malformations and chromosomal
abnormalities are consistently the leading cause of infant
death in the United States, reflecting issues present at birth.
• Incorrect A: SIDS is a significant cause, but it is not the
leading cause.
• Incorrect C: Maternal complications contribute to
mortality but are not the primary direct cause of infant
death.
• Incorrect D: Accidents become a leading cause of death in
older children, not infants.
Teaching Point: Birth defects are the primary cause of
infant death, highlighting the importance of prenatal care
and genetics.
Citation: Ricci, Kyle, & Carman (2021). Chapter 1,
Mortality.
5th Edition
• Author(s)Susan Scott Ricci; Terri Kyle; Susan Carman
• PublisherPublished by Wolters Kluwer Health Copyright©
2025
• Print ISBN: 9781975220419
TEST BANK
Chapter 1: The History of Maternal and
Newborn Health and Health Care
A nursing student is researching the historical impact of the
Sheppard-Towner Act of 1921. Which outcome best
demonstrates the primary success of this legislation?
A. It established the first professional standards for midwifery
practice.
B. It led to a dramatic decrease in maternal mortality rates by
funding prenatal and childhood clinics.
C. It provided federal funding for research into the causes of
puerperal fever.
D. It mandated compulsory vaccination for all children entering
public school.
,Correct Answer: B
Rationales:
• Correct: The Sheppard-Towner Act (1921) was the first
major federal initiative to improve maternal and child
health. It provided funds for states to establish prenatal and
well-child clinics, leading to a significant reduction in
maternal and infant mortality by providing education and
access to care.
• Incorrect A: While it involved nurses and midwives, its
primary aim was not standardizing their practice but
providing direct public health services.
• Incorrect C: The cause of puerperal fever was identified
by Semmelweis long before this act, and the act focused on
clinical care, not specific research.
• Incorrect D: Vaccination mandates were, and remain,
primarily a state-level function, not the focus of this federal
act.
Teaching Point: Sheppard-Towner established the federal
government's role in funding maternal-child health
programs.
Citation: Ricci, S., Kyle, T., & Carman, S.
(2021). Maternity and Pediatric Nursing (5th ed.). Wolters
Kluwer. Chapter 1, The History of Maternal and Newborn
Health and Health Care.
2. Chapter 1, The History of Child Health and Child Health
Care
A pediatric nurse is explaining the concept of "childhood" as a
,distinct life stage to a group of nursing students. Which
historical development was most instrumental in creating this
modern perception?
A. The passage of child labor laws during the Industrial
Revolution.
B. The discovery of antibiotics in the early 20th century.
C. The publication of Dr. Benjamin Spock's baby and child care
book.
D. The development of specialized pediatric hospitals.
Correct Answer: A
Rationales:
• Correct: Prior to the Industrial Revolution, children were
often viewed as small adults. The movement to regulate
child labor legally recognized that children required
protection and were not suited for adult work,
fundamentally shifting the perception of childhood.
• Incorrect B: While antibiotics drastically reduced child
mortality, the concept of childhood as a protected stage was
emerging before this.
• Incorrect C: Spock's book influenced parenting styles but
came after the cultural shift had begun.
• Incorrect D: Specialized hospitals were a result of the new
perception of childhood, not the primary cause.
Teaching Point: Child labor laws legally defined
childhood as a period requiring protection, not labor.
Citation: Ricci, Kyle, & Carman (2021). Chapter 1, The
History of Child Health and Child Health Care.
, 3. Chapter 1, Mortality
When reviewing national health statistics, a nurse identifies that
the infant mortality rate (IMR) is a key indicator of a nation's
overall health. Which factor is the leading cause of infant
mortality in the United States?
A. Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS)
B. Congenital malformations and chromosomal abnormalities
C. Maternal complications of pregnancy
D. Accidents (unintentional injuries)
Correct Answer: B
Rationales:
• Correct: Congenital malformations and chromosomal
abnormalities are consistently the leading cause of infant
death in the United States, reflecting issues present at birth.
• Incorrect A: SIDS is a significant cause, but it is not the
leading cause.
• Incorrect C: Maternal complications contribute to
mortality but are not the primary direct cause of infant
death.
• Incorrect D: Accidents become a leading cause of death in
older children, not infants.
Teaching Point: Birth defects are the primary cause of
infant death, highlighting the importance of prenatal care
and genetics.
Citation: Ricci, Kyle, & Carman (2021). Chapter 1,
Mortality.
