ATI RN
Current Issues in Maternal-Newborn Nursing Questions
Question 1 of 5
A nurse is working in the area of labor and birth. Her assignment is to take care of a gravida 1 para 0 woman who presents in early labor at term. Vaginal exam reflects the following: 2 cm, cervix posterior, –1 station, and vertex with membranes intact. The patient asks the nurse if she can break her water so that her labor can go faster. The nurse’s response, based on the ethical principle of nonmaleficence, is which of the following?
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The correct response based on the ethical principle of nonmaleficence, which refers to the duty to do no harm, is to tell the patient that she will have to wait until she has progressed further on the vaginal exam and then perform an amniotomy. In this scenario, breaking the patient's water prematurely could introduce risks and potential harm without clear medical necessity. Performing an amniotomy too early could increase the risk of infection or cause umbilical cord prolapse, which can be harmful to both the mother and the baby. Therefore, it is important for the nurse to wait until the patient has progressed further in labor before considering an amniotomy.
Question 2 of 5
A nurse is working in the area of labor and birth. Her assignment is to take care of a gravida 1 para 0 woman who presents in early labor at term. Vaginal exam reflects the following: 2 cm, cervix posterior, –1 station, and vertex with membranes intact. The patient asks the nurse if she can break her water so that her labor can go faster. The nurse’s response, based on the ethical principle of nonmaleficence, is which of the following?
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: The correct response based on the ethical principle of nonmaleficence, which refers to the duty to do no harm, is to tell the patient that she will have to wait until she has progressed further on the vaginal exam and then perform an amniotomy. In this scenario, breaking the patient's water prematurely could introduce risks and potential harm without clear medical necessity. Performing an amniotomy too early could increase the risk of infection or cause umbilical cord prolapse, which can be harmful to both the mother and the baby. Therefore, it is important for the nurse to wait until the patient has progressed further in labor before considering an amniotomy.
Question 3 of 5
The nurse is formulating a nursing care plan for a postpartum patient. Which actions by the nurse indicate use of critical thinking skills when formulating the care plan? (Select all that apply.)
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: B. Determining priorities for each diagnosis written: Prioritizing nursing diagnoses based on the patient's needs and condition requires critical thinking skills. The nurse must be able to identify the most urgent issues to address first in the care plan.
Question 4 of 5
A nurse is caring for a pregnant patient who asks when she should be tested for GBS. What does the nurse tell the patient?
Correct Answer: B
Rationale: The nurse should inform the pregnant patient that Group B Streptococcus (GBS) testing is typically done between 36 and 37 weeks of pregnancy. Testing at this time allows for optimal identification of GBS colonization during childbirth. It is important to test at this stage to determine the presence of GBS in the birth canal, as GBS can be passed to the newborn during delivery, which may lead to serious infections. Testing later in pregnancy increases the likelihood of obtaining accurate results closer to the due date, enabling appropriate management to be implemented to reduce the risk of transmission to the newborn.
Question 5 of 5
In some Middle Eastern and African cultures, female genital mutilation (female cutting) is a prerequisite for marriage. Women who now live in North America need care from nurses who are knowledgeable about the procedure and comfortable with the abnormal appearance of their genitalia. When caring for this patient, the nurse can formulate a diagnosis with the understanding that the patient may be at risk for which of the following? (Select all that apply.)
Correct Answer: A
Rationale: Female genital mutilation (FGM) can lead to various short-term and long-term complications, putting the woman at risk for infection (such as urinary tract infections and pelvic infections due to poor healing and scar tissue), hemorrhage (excessive bleeding during or after the procedure or in subsequent sexual encounters), and obstructed labor (due to scarring and narrowing of the birth canal, which can lead to prolonged labor, tears, and even fistula formation). These risks highlight the importance of providing appropriate care, support, and education for women who have undergone FGM.