NSG 3500 Exam 3 (2025/2026 Edition) – Nursing Practice:
Maternal Health | Galen College | Actual Exam Review
This 2025/2026 NSG 3500 Exam 3 guide offers a comprehensive and updated review of
advanced Maternal Health Nursing topics for Galen College students. Designed to reflect the
actual course assessments, it includes 50 verified and practice-based questions to strengthen
clinical decision-making skills, critical thinking, and practical application in maternity nursing
settings. All content is aligned with the latest evidence-based nursing standards and
NCLEX-RN competencies.
Key Focus Areas:
Labor and delivery processes, postpartum care, neonatal adaptation, complications during
childbirth, pharmacologic interventions, and nursing responsibilities during maternal
emergencies.
Answer Format
All verified correct answers are displayed in bold and green, with clear and concise rationales
to enhance comprehension, retention, and clinical readiness for the 2025/2026 Maternal
Health curriculum.
Questions 1–50
Labor and Delivery Processes (15 Questions)
1. A patient in labor has a fetal heart rate (FHR) of 100 bpm. What is the priority
nursing action?
a) Ignore the heart rate
b) Notify the provider and initiate intrauterine resuscitation
c) Administer pain medication
d) Encourage ambulation
Answer: b) Notify the provider and initiate intrauterine resuscitation
Rationale: Fetal bradycardia (FHR <110 bpm) indicates potential distress, requiring
intrauterine resuscitation (e.g., maternal oxygen, left lateral position) and provider notification.
2. A patient is in the first stage of labor with contractions 5 minutes apart. What is
the priority nursing action?
a) Encourage immediate pushing
b) Monitor contraction frequency and fetal heart rate
c) Restrict all fluids
d) Administer oxytocin
Answer: b) Monitor contraction frequency and fetal heart rate
, Rationale: Monitoring contractions and FHR ensures maternal and fetal well-being during the
first stage of labor.
3. A patient in labor requests pain relief. What is the priority nursing action before
administering an epidural?
a) Administer the epidural immediately
b) Verify informed consent and assess contraindications
c) Restrict pain relief options
d) Ignore the request
Answer: b) Verify informed consent and assess contraindications
Rationale: Informed consent and assessment for contraindications (e.g., coagulopathy) ensure
safe epidural administration.
4. A patient in the second stage of labor is fully dilated. What is the priority
nursing action?
a) Encourage prolonged rest
b) Instruct the patient to push with contractions
c) Administer oxygen
d) Restrict pushing
Answer: b) Instruct the patient to push with contractions
Rationale: The second stage involves active pushing to facilitate delivery once fully dilated.
5. A patient in labor has a prolonged deceleration in FHR. What is the priority
nursing action?
a) Encourage pushing
b) Initiate intrauterine resuscitation and notify the provider
c) Administer pain medication
d) Ignore the deceleration
Answer: b) Initiate intrauterine resuscitation and notify the provider
Rationale: Prolonged decelerations indicate fetal distress, requiring resuscitation and provider
notification.
6. A patient in labor is receiving oxytocin. What is a sign of uterine
hyperstimulation?
a) Contractions every 10 minutes
b) Contractions lasting >90 seconds
c) Fetal heart rate of 140 bpm
d) Maternal heart rate of 80 bpm
Answer: b) Contractions lasting >90 seconds
Rationale: Uterine hyperstimulation involves frequent or prolonged contractions (>90
seconds), risking fetal hypoxia.
7. A patient in labor has a 10% decrease in FHR variability. What is the priority
nursing action?
a) Ignore the variability
b) Notify the provider and monitor closely
c) Administer oxygen
Maternal Health | Galen College | Actual Exam Review
This 2025/2026 NSG 3500 Exam 3 guide offers a comprehensive and updated review of
advanced Maternal Health Nursing topics for Galen College students. Designed to reflect the
actual course assessments, it includes 50 verified and practice-based questions to strengthen
clinical decision-making skills, critical thinking, and practical application in maternity nursing
settings. All content is aligned with the latest evidence-based nursing standards and
NCLEX-RN competencies.
Key Focus Areas:
Labor and delivery processes, postpartum care, neonatal adaptation, complications during
childbirth, pharmacologic interventions, and nursing responsibilities during maternal
emergencies.
Answer Format
All verified correct answers are displayed in bold and green, with clear and concise rationales
to enhance comprehension, retention, and clinical readiness for the 2025/2026 Maternal
Health curriculum.
Questions 1–50
Labor and Delivery Processes (15 Questions)
1. A patient in labor has a fetal heart rate (FHR) of 100 bpm. What is the priority
nursing action?
a) Ignore the heart rate
b) Notify the provider and initiate intrauterine resuscitation
c) Administer pain medication
d) Encourage ambulation
Answer: b) Notify the provider and initiate intrauterine resuscitation
Rationale: Fetal bradycardia (FHR <110 bpm) indicates potential distress, requiring
intrauterine resuscitation (e.g., maternal oxygen, left lateral position) and provider notification.
2. A patient is in the first stage of labor with contractions 5 minutes apart. What is
the priority nursing action?
a) Encourage immediate pushing
b) Monitor contraction frequency and fetal heart rate
c) Restrict all fluids
d) Administer oxytocin
Answer: b) Monitor contraction frequency and fetal heart rate
, Rationale: Monitoring contractions and FHR ensures maternal and fetal well-being during the
first stage of labor.
3. A patient in labor requests pain relief. What is the priority nursing action before
administering an epidural?
a) Administer the epidural immediately
b) Verify informed consent and assess contraindications
c) Restrict pain relief options
d) Ignore the request
Answer: b) Verify informed consent and assess contraindications
Rationale: Informed consent and assessment for contraindications (e.g., coagulopathy) ensure
safe epidural administration.
4. A patient in the second stage of labor is fully dilated. What is the priority
nursing action?
a) Encourage prolonged rest
b) Instruct the patient to push with contractions
c) Administer oxygen
d) Restrict pushing
Answer: b) Instruct the patient to push with contractions
Rationale: The second stage involves active pushing to facilitate delivery once fully dilated.
5. A patient in labor has a prolonged deceleration in FHR. What is the priority
nursing action?
a) Encourage pushing
b) Initiate intrauterine resuscitation and notify the provider
c) Administer pain medication
d) Ignore the deceleration
Answer: b) Initiate intrauterine resuscitation and notify the provider
Rationale: Prolonged decelerations indicate fetal distress, requiring resuscitation and provider
notification.
6. A patient in labor is receiving oxytocin. What is a sign of uterine
hyperstimulation?
a) Contractions every 10 minutes
b) Contractions lasting >90 seconds
c) Fetal heart rate of 140 bpm
d) Maternal heart rate of 80 bpm
Answer: b) Contractions lasting >90 seconds
Rationale: Uterine hyperstimulation involves frequent or prolonged contractions (>90
seconds), risking fetal hypoxia.
7. A patient in labor has a 10% decrease in FHR variability. What is the priority
nursing action?
a) Ignore the variability
b) Notify the provider and monitor closely
c) Administer oxygen
