NRSG 3302 Exam 2 Questions and Answers Latest Update 2025-2026
5 P's of labor - Answers powers, passageway, passenger, position, psyche
Powers - Answers *contractions*
- 1st stage of labor they dilate the cervix
- 2nd stage they aid in expulsion of baby
- originate in fundus and sweep down the uterus
- start irregular, become regular as labor progresses
- measured by intensity, frequency, and duration
Passageway - Answers - shape of pelvis is important, can lead to ease of or complications w/
delivery
- cardinal movements through the pelvix from inlet(T), midpelvis(P), and outlet(down)
- cervix dilation and effacement, must be 10cm dilated and 100% effaced before pushing
Bishop score - Answers - Determines maternal readiness for labor by evaluating whether the
cervix is favorable by rating cervical dilation, effacement, consistency, position, and station
- the higher the score the more likely they will go into labor soon, lower scores are not close to
labor
passenger - Answers *The fetus*
~ fetal attitude: flexion vs extension
~ fetal lie: longitudinal or transverse
~ fetal presentation: cephalic, breech, shoulder
~ station: where baby is in relation to ischial spines of the maternal pelvis (negative = above
spines, positive = below spines, you are positive the baby is coming!)
Cephalic presentations - Answers - Vertex or occiput: head tucked in, back of head presents
- Sinciput: head is looking straight ahead
- Brown: head is slightly upturned
- Mentum: head is looking all the way up
~ the more extended the head is, the harder it will be for the baby to come out because the
,diameter is larger
Breech presentations - Answers *buttocks first*
- Frank: legs extended, flexed up against baby's body (*risk of cord prolapse very high*)
- Full: legs flexed
- Footling: foot is the presenting part
Shoulder presentation - Answers baby is transverse and the shoulder is the presenting part -
*requires C-section*
Gynecoid pelvis - Answers - typical female pelvis
- slightly oval, basically round w/ spacious sides
- ischial spines not very prominent
- wide pubic arch
- *most favorable for vaginal delivery*
anthropoid pelvis - Answers egg-shaped with narrow sides
platypelloid pelvis - Answers very oval and narrow
android pelvis - Answers - typical male shape
- heart-shaped and somewhat narrowed
Fetal position - Answers relation of the presenting part to the 4 quadrants of the maternal pelvis,
represented by 3 letters
How to determine 3 letters for fetal position - Answers 1) direction of the presenting part -
MOM'S left or right > L (baby's back against mom's left) or R
2) Presenting Part
O = occiput (most common, fetal head is flexed)
M = mentum (fetal head extended)
Sa = sacrum (breech presentation)
A = acromium process (transverse presentation)
3) Relationship to pelvis
A = anterior (baby's back against mom's anterior)
, P = posterior
T = transverse
*Most common is LOA*
Palpation of fontanelles during delivery - Answers Triangle = posterior fontanelle facing front of
mom > anterior presentation
Diamond = anterior fontanelle > posterior presentation
Psyche - Answers emotional response to labor, pain is a big factor
Leopold Maneuvers - Answers Palpate different areas of the uterus to determine fetal position
and presentation
1) palpate superior surface of fundus - if cephalic presentation, you should feel the buttocks
2) each side of uterus - facing left or right
3) suprapubic area - palpate for presenting part, if cephalic you will feel the head
4) fetal attitude - *only done if in cephalic presentation*, palpate position of the head to
determine flexion/extension
VEALCHOP - Answers Variables = Cord compression
Early decels = Head compression
Accelerations = Oxygenated fetus
Late decels = Placental insufficiency
signs of impending labor - Answers lightening, increased vaginal discharge, increased energy, GI
symptoms (N/V/D), cervical change, bloody show, rupture of membranes, lower back pain,
weight loss, uterine contractions
True vs. False Labor - Answers regular contractions that increase in frequency and intensity and
are not diminished with rest
*progressive cervical effacement and dilation*
Latent phase of labor - Answers ~ 0-3cm dilated
- can last hours to days
- mother is happy/sociable
Active phase of labor - Answers - 4-7cm dilated
5 P's of labor - Answers powers, passageway, passenger, position, psyche
Powers - Answers *contractions*
- 1st stage of labor they dilate the cervix
- 2nd stage they aid in expulsion of baby
- originate in fundus and sweep down the uterus
- start irregular, become regular as labor progresses
- measured by intensity, frequency, and duration
Passageway - Answers - shape of pelvis is important, can lead to ease of or complications w/
delivery
- cardinal movements through the pelvix from inlet(T), midpelvis(P), and outlet(down)
- cervix dilation and effacement, must be 10cm dilated and 100% effaced before pushing
Bishop score - Answers - Determines maternal readiness for labor by evaluating whether the
cervix is favorable by rating cervical dilation, effacement, consistency, position, and station
- the higher the score the more likely they will go into labor soon, lower scores are not close to
labor
passenger - Answers *The fetus*
~ fetal attitude: flexion vs extension
~ fetal lie: longitudinal or transverse
~ fetal presentation: cephalic, breech, shoulder
~ station: where baby is in relation to ischial spines of the maternal pelvis (negative = above
spines, positive = below spines, you are positive the baby is coming!)
Cephalic presentations - Answers - Vertex or occiput: head tucked in, back of head presents
- Sinciput: head is looking straight ahead
- Brown: head is slightly upturned
- Mentum: head is looking all the way up
~ the more extended the head is, the harder it will be for the baby to come out because the
,diameter is larger
Breech presentations - Answers *buttocks first*
- Frank: legs extended, flexed up against baby's body (*risk of cord prolapse very high*)
- Full: legs flexed
- Footling: foot is the presenting part
Shoulder presentation - Answers baby is transverse and the shoulder is the presenting part -
*requires C-section*
Gynecoid pelvis - Answers - typical female pelvis
- slightly oval, basically round w/ spacious sides
- ischial spines not very prominent
- wide pubic arch
- *most favorable for vaginal delivery*
anthropoid pelvis - Answers egg-shaped with narrow sides
platypelloid pelvis - Answers very oval and narrow
android pelvis - Answers - typical male shape
- heart-shaped and somewhat narrowed
Fetal position - Answers relation of the presenting part to the 4 quadrants of the maternal pelvis,
represented by 3 letters
How to determine 3 letters for fetal position - Answers 1) direction of the presenting part -
MOM'S left or right > L (baby's back against mom's left) or R
2) Presenting Part
O = occiput (most common, fetal head is flexed)
M = mentum (fetal head extended)
Sa = sacrum (breech presentation)
A = acromium process (transverse presentation)
3) Relationship to pelvis
A = anterior (baby's back against mom's anterior)
, P = posterior
T = transverse
*Most common is LOA*
Palpation of fontanelles during delivery - Answers Triangle = posterior fontanelle facing front of
mom > anterior presentation
Diamond = anterior fontanelle > posterior presentation
Psyche - Answers emotional response to labor, pain is a big factor
Leopold Maneuvers - Answers Palpate different areas of the uterus to determine fetal position
and presentation
1) palpate superior surface of fundus - if cephalic presentation, you should feel the buttocks
2) each side of uterus - facing left or right
3) suprapubic area - palpate for presenting part, if cephalic you will feel the head
4) fetal attitude - *only done if in cephalic presentation*, palpate position of the head to
determine flexion/extension
VEALCHOP - Answers Variables = Cord compression
Early decels = Head compression
Accelerations = Oxygenated fetus
Late decels = Placental insufficiency
signs of impending labor - Answers lightening, increased vaginal discharge, increased energy, GI
symptoms (N/V/D), cervical change, bloody show, rupture of membranes, lower back pain,
weight loss, uterine contractions
True vs. False Labor - Answers regular contractions that increase in frequency and intensity and
are not diminished with rest
*progressive cervical effacement and dilation*
Latent phase of labor - Answers ~ 0-3cm dilated
- can last hours to days
- mother is happy/sociable
Active phase of labor - Answers - 4-7cm dilated
