Maternity NGN
A 32-year-old woman presents to the labor and birth suite in active labor. She is multigravida,
relaxed, and talking with her husband. When examined by the nurse, the fetus is found to be in
a cephalic presentation. His occiput is facing toward the front and slightly to the right of the
mother's pelvis, and he is exhibiting a flexed attitude. How does the nurse document the
position of the fetus? - (answer) ROA
Explanation:
The nurse should document the fetal position in the clinical record using abbreviations. The first
letter describes the side of the maternal pelvis toward which the presenting part is facing ("R"
for right and "L" for left). The second letter indicates the reference point ("O" for occiput, "Fr"
for frontum, etc.). The last part of the designation specifies whether the presenting part is
facing the anterior (A) or the posterior (P) portion of the pelvis, or whether it is in a transverse
(T) position.
There are four essential components of labor. The first is the passageway. It is composed of the
bony pelvis and soft tissues. What is one component of the passageway? - (answer) Cervix
Explanation:
The cervix and vagina are soft tissues that form the part of the passageway known as the birth
canal.
The skull is the most important factor in relation to the labor and birth processes. The fetal skull
must be small enough to travel through the bony pelvis. What feature of the fetal skull helps to
make this passage possible? - (answer) The cartilage between the bones allows the bones to
overlap during labor, a process called molding that elongates the fetal skull, thereby reducing
the diameter of the head.
Braxton Hicks contractions are termed "practice contractions" and occur throughout pregnancy.
When the woman's body is getting ready to go into labor, it begins to show anticipatory signs of
impending labor. Among these signs are Braxton Hicks contractions that are more frequent and
stronger in intensity. What differentiates Braxton Hicks contractions from true labor? - (answer)
Braxton Hicks contractions usually decrease in intensity with walking.
,Maternity NGN
Explanation:
Braxton Hicks contractions occur more frequently and are more noticeable as pregnancy
approaches term. These irregular, practice contractions usually decrease in intensity with
walking and position changes.
When going through the transition phase of labor, women often feel out of control. What do
women in the transition phase of labor need the most? - (answer) Any woman, even one who
has taken natural birth classes, has a difficult time maintaining positive coping strategies during
this phase of labor. Many women describe feeling out of control during this phase of labor. A
woman in transition needs support, encouragement, and positive reinforcement.
To give birth to her infant, a woman is asked to push with contractions. Which pushing
technique is the most effective and safest? - (answer) head elevated, grasping knees,
breathing out
Explanation:
An important point is to be certain the woman does not hold her breath, as this puts pressure
on the vena cava, reducing blood return.
The nurse is measuring a contraction from the beginning of the increment to the end of the
decrement for the same contraction. The nurse would document this as which finding? -
(answer) duration
Explanation:
Duration refers to how long a contraction lasts and is measured from the beginning of the
increment to the end of the decrement for the same contraction. Intensity refers to the strength
of the contraction determined by manual palpation or measured by an internal intrauterine
catheter. Frequency refers to how often contractions occur and is measured from the increment
of one contraction to the increment of the next contraction. The peak or acme of a contraction
is the highest intensity of a contraction.
, Maternity NGN
When teaching a group of nursing students about the stages of labor, the nurse explains that
softening, thinning, and shortening of the cervical canal occur during the first stage of labor.
Which term is the nurse referring to in the explanation? - (answer) effacement
Explanation:
The nurse is explaining about effacement, which involves softening, thinning, and shortening of
the cervical canal. Dilatation refers to widening of the cervical os from a few millimeters in size
to approximately 10 cm wide. Crowning refers to a point in the maternal vagina from where the
fetal head cannot recede back after the contractions have passed. Molding is a process in which
there is overriding and movement of the bones of the cranial vault, so as to adapt to the
maternal pelvis.
A woman is in the second stage of labor and is crowning. Which diameter of the fetal skull that
is smallest should align with the anteroposterior diameter of the mother's pelvis, which is the
narrowest diameter at the pelvic inlet? - (answer) transverse (biparietal)
Explanation:
The anteroposterior diameter of the pelvis, a space approximately 11 cm wide, is the narrowest
diameter at the pelvic inlet, so the best presentation for birth is when the fetus presents a
transverse (biparietal) diameter (the narrowest fetal head diameter, at 9.25 cm) to this. The
other diameters of the fetal skull that are listed are all larger.
A nurse is assisting a client who is in the first stage of labor. Which principle should the nurse
keep in mind to help make this client's labor and birth as natural as possible? - (answer)
Women should be able to move about freely throughout labor.
Explanation:
Six major concepts that make labor and birth as natural as possible are as follows: 1) labor
should begin on its own, not be artificially induced; 2) women should be able to move about
freely throughout labor, not be confined to bed; 3) women should receive continuous support
A 32-year-old woman presents to the labor and birth suite in active labor. She is multigravida,
relaxed, and talking with her husband. When examined by the nurse, the fetus is found to be in
a cephalic presentation. His occiput is facing toward the front and slightly to the right of the
mother's pelvis, and he is exhibiting a flexed attitude. How does the nurse document the
position of the fetus? - (answer) ROA
Explanation:
The nurse should document the fetal position in the clinical record using abbreviations. The first
letter describes the side of the maternal pelvis toward which the presenting part is facing ("R"
for right and "L" for left). The second letter indicates the reference point ("O" for occiput, "Fr"
for frontum, etc.). The last part of the designation specifies whether the presenting part is
facing the anterior (A) or the posterior (P) portion of the pelvis, or whether it is in a transverse
(T) position.
There are four essential components of labor. The first is the passageway. It is composed of the
bony pelvis and soft tissues. What is one component of the passageway? - (answer) Cervix
Explanation:
The cervix and vagina are soft tissues that form the part of the passageway known as the birth
canal.
The skull is the most important factor in relation to the labor and birth processes. The fetal skull
must be small enough to travel through the bony pelvis. What feature of the fetal skull helps to
make this passage possible? - (answer) The cartilage between the bones allows the bones to
overlap during labor, a process called molding that elongates the fetal skull, thereby reducing
the diameter of the head.
Braxton Hicks contractions are termed "practice contractions" and occur throughout pregnancy.
When the woman's body is getting ready to go into labor, it begins to show anticipatory signs of
impending labor. Among these signs are Braxton Hicks contractions that are more frequent and
stronger in intensity. What differentiates Braxton Hicks contractions from true labor? - (answer)
Braxton Hicks contractions usually decrease in intensity with walking.
,Maternity NGN
Explanation:
Braxton Hicks contractions occur more frequently and are more noticeable as pregnancy
approaches term. These irregular, practice contractions usually decrease in intensity with
walking and position changes.
When going through the transition phase of labor, women often feel out of control. What do
women in the transition phase of labor need the most? - (answer) Any woman, even one who
has taken natural birth classes, has a difficult time maintaining positive coping strategies during
this phase of labor. Many women describe feeling out of control during this phase of labor. A
woman in transition needs support, encouragement, and positive reinforcement.
To give birth to her infant, a woman is asked to push with contractions. Which pushing
technique is the most effective and safest? - (answer) head elevated, grasping knees,
breathing out
Explanation:
An important point is to be certain the woman does not hold her breath, as this puts pressure
on the vena cava, reducing blood return.
The nurse is measuring a contraction from the beginning of the increment to the end of the
decrement for the same contraction. The nurse would document this as which finding? -
(answer) duration
Explanation:
Duration refers to how long a contraction lasts and is measured from the beginning of the
increment to the end of the decrement for the same contraction. Intensity refers to the strength
of the contraction determined by manual palpation or measured by an internal intrauterine
catheter. Frequency refers to how often contractions occur and is measured from the increment
of one contraction to the increment of the next contraction. The peak or acme of a contraction
is the highest intensity of a contraction.
, Maternity NGN
When teaching a group of nursing students about the stages of labor, the nurse explains that
softening, thinning, and shortening of the cervical canal occur during the first stage of labor.
Which term is the nurse referring to in the explanation? - (answer) effacement
Explanation:
The nurse is explaining about effacement, which involves softening, thinning, and shortening of
the cervical canal. Dilatation refers to widening of the cervical os from a few millimeters in size
to approximately 10 cm wide. Crowning refers to a point in the maternal vagina from where the
fetal head cannot recede back after the contractions have passed. Molding is a process in which
there is overriding and movement of the bones of the cranial vault, so as to adapt to the
maternal pelvis.
A woman is in the second stage of labor and is crowning. Which diameter of the fetal skull that
is smallest should align with the anteroposterior diameter of the mother's pelvis, which is the
narrowest diameter at the pelvic inlet? - (answer) transverse (biparietal)
Explanation:
The anteroposterior diameter of the pelvis, a space approximately 11 cm wide, is the narrowest
diameter at the pelvic inlet, so the best presentation for birth is when the fetus presents a
transverse (biparietal) diameter (the narrowest fetal head diameter, at 9.25 cm) to this. The
other diameters of the fetal skull that are listed are all larger.
A nurse is assisting a client who is in the first stage of labor. Which principle should the nurse
keep in mind to help make this client's labor and birth as natural as possible? - (answer)
Women should be able to move about freely throughout labor.
Explanation:
Six major concepts that make labor and birth as natural as possible are as follows: 1) labor
should begin on its own, not be artificially induced; 2) women should be able to move about
freely throughout labor, not be confined to bed; 3) women should receive continuous support
