Maternity and Women's Health Care
13th Edition
Author(s)Deitra Lowdermilk
TEST BANK
1
Reference: Ch. 1: 21st-Century Maternity and
Women’s Health Nursing — Trends in Maternal
Outcomes.
Stem: During bedside report a nurse learns that
a postpartum client has severe hypertension
(BP 170/110) 6 hours after delivery. Which
action should the nurse perform first?
A. Give the prescribed oral antihypertensive
medication.
B. Place the client in a side-lying position and
recheck blood pressure in 5 minutes.
,C. Notify the obstetric provider immediately
and prepare for magnesium sulfate.
D. Assess neurologic status and ask about
headache or visual changes.
Correct Answer: D
Rationale (correct): Assessing neurologic status
and symptoms (headache, visual changes) is the
priority to evaluate for severe features of
preeclampsia and immediate maternal risk. This
assessment guides urgency of interventions and
escalation.
Rationale (A): Giving medication before a
focused assessment may miss signs of
impending eclampsia; medication choice may
depend on symptoms and orders.
Rationale (B): Repositioning is supportive but
does not address potential central nervous
system involvement and is lower priority than
focused neurologic assessment.
Rationale (C): Notifying the provider may be
,needed, but immediate assessment of
neurologic status determines whether
emergent treatment (e.g., magnesium sulfate)
is required.
Teaching Point: Prioritize focused assessment
to detect severe features before treatment
escalation.
Citation: Lowdermilk et al., 2023, Ch. 1: 21st-
Century Maternity Nursing
2
Reference: Ch. 2: Advances in Care of Mothers
and Infants — Perinatal Safety Initiatives.
Stem: A labor nurse is implementing a safety
checklist before induction of labor for a
primigravida. Which item is most essential to
confirm prior to starting oxytocin infusion?
A. Mother’s requested pain management
preferences.
, B. Presence of continuous electronic fetal
monitoring capability.
C. Maternal blood type and Rh status
documentation.
D. Consent for epidural anesthesia.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale (correct): Continuous fetal
monitoring is essential before oxytocin because
oxytocin increases contraction frequency and
intensity, increasing risk of fetal distress;
monitoring permits immediate detection and
response.
Rationale (A): Pain preferences are important
but not critical to safety before a high-risk
uterotonic is started.
Rationale (C): Blood type is important in some
contexts but is not the most immediate safety
measure for uterotonic initiation.
Rationale (D): Epidural consent is relevant if
requested but not essential for safe oxytocin
13th Edition
Author(s)Deitra Lowdermilk
TEST BANK
1
Reference: Ch. 1: 21st-Century Maternity and
Women’s Health Nursing — Trends in Maternal
Outcomes.
Stem: During bedside report a nurse learns that
a postpartum client has severe hypertension
(BP 170/110) 6 hours after delivery. Which
action should the nurse perform first?
A. Give the prescribed oral antihypertensive
medication.
B. Place the client in a side-lying position and
recheck blood pressure in 5 minutes.
,C. Notify the obstetric provider immediately
and prepare for magnesium sulfate.
D. Assess neurologic status and ask about
headache or visual changes.
Correct Answer: D
Rationale (correct): Assessing neurologic status
and symptoms (headache, visual changes) is the
priority to evaluate for severe features of
preeclampsia and immediate maternal risk. This
assessment guides urgency of interventions and
escalation.
Rationale (A): Giving medication before a
focused assessment may miss signs of
impending eclampsia; medication choice may
depend on symptoms and orders.
Rationale (B): Repositioning is supportive but
does not address potential central nervous
system involvement and is lower priority than
focused neurologic assessment.
Rationale (C): Notifying the provider may be
,needed, but immediate assessment of
neurologic status determines whether
emergent treatment (e.g., magnesium sulfate)
is required.
Teaching Point: Prioritize focused assessment
to detect severe features before treatment
escalation.
Citation: Lowdermilk et al., 2023, Ch. 1: 21st-
Century Maternity Nursing
2
Reference: Ch. 2: Advances in Care of Mothers
and Infants — Perinatal Safety Initiatives.
Stem: A labor nurse is implementing a safety
checklist before induction of labor for a
primigravida. Which item is most essential to
confirm prior to starting oxytocin infusion?
A. Mother’s requested pain management
preferences.
, B. Presence of continuous electronic fetal
monitoring capability.
C. Maternal blood type and Rh status
documentation.
D. Consent for epidural anesthesia.
Correct Answer: B
Rationale (correct): Continuous fetal
monitoring is essential before oxytocin because
oxytocin increases contraction frequency and
intensity, increasing risk of fetal distress;
monitoring permits immediate detection and
response.
Rationale (A): Pain preferences are important
but not critical to safety before a high-risk
uterotonic is started.
Rationale (C): Blood type is important in some
contexts but is not the most immediate safety
measure for uterotonic initiation.
Rationale (D): Epidural consent is relevant if
requested but not essential for safe oxytocin
