OB (intrapartum,

A nurse is assessing the vital signs of a client in labor at the peak of a contraction. Which of the following findings would the nurse expect to see? 1. Decreased pulse rate. 2. Hypertension. 3. Hyperthermia 4. Decreased respiratory rate.

2. The blood pressure rises dramatically.

A woman has decided to hire a doula to work with her during labor and delivery. Which of the following actions would be appropriate for the doula to perform? Select all that apply. 1. Give the woman a back rub. 2. Assist the woman with her breathing. 3. Assess the fetal heart rate. 4. Check the woman's blood pressure. 5. Regulate the woman's intravenous.

1 and 2 are correct. 1. An appropriate action by the doula is giving the woman a back massage. 2. An appropriate action by the doula is to assist the laboring woman with her breathing.

A client is in the third stage of labor. Which of the following assessments should the nurse make/observe for? Select all that apply. 1. Lengthening of the umbilical cord. 2. Fetal heart assessment after each contraction. 3. Uterus rising in the abdomen and feeling globular. 4. Rapid cervical dilation to ten centimeters. 5. Maternal complaints of intense rectal pressure.

1 and 3 are correct. 1. This is a sign of placental separation. 2. Once second stage is complete, the baby is no longer in utero. 3. This is a sign of placental separation. 4. Dilation and effacement are complete before second stage begins. 5. Rectal pressure is usually a sign of fetal descent. Once the second stage is com- plete, the baby is no longer in utero.

When during the latent phase of labor should the nurse assess the fetal heart pattern of a low-risk woman, G1 P0000? Select all that apply. 1. After vaginal exams. 2. Before administration of analgesics. 3. Periodically at the end of a contraction. 4. Every ten minutes. 5. Before ambulating.

1, 2, 3, and 5 are correct. 1. The nurse should assess the fetal heart after all vaginal exams. 2. The nurse should assess the fetal heart before giving the mother any analgesics. 3. The fetal heart should be assessed periodically at the end of a contraction. 4. The fetal heart pattern should be assessed every 1 hour during the latent phase of a low-risk labor. It is not standard protocol to assess every 10 minutes. 5. The nurse should assess the fetal heart before the woman ambulates.

A nurse is educating a pregnant woman regarding the moves a fetus makes during the birthing process. Please place the following cardinal movements of labor in the order the nurse should inform the client that the fetus will make: 1. Descent. 2. Expulsion. 3. Extension. 4. External rotation. 5. Internal rotation.

1, 5, 3, 4, 2. The correct order of the movements listed is: 1. Descent. 5. Internal rotation. 3. Extension. 4. External rotation. 2. Expulsion.

On examination, it is noted that a full-term primipara in active labor is right occipi- toanterior (ROA), 7 cm dilated, and +3 station. Which of the following should the nurse report to the physician? 1. Descent is progressing well. 2. Fetal head is not yet engaged. 3. Vaginal delivery is imminent. 4. External rotation is complete.

1. Descent is progressing well. The pre- senting part is 3 centimeters below the ischial spines.

While evaluating the fetal heart monitor tracing on a client in labor, the nurse notes that there are fetal heart decelerations present. Which of the following assessments must the nurse make at this time? 1. The relationship between the decelerations and the labor contractions. 2. The maternal blood pressure. 3. The gestational age of the fetus. 4. The placement of the fetal heart electrode in relation to the fetal position.

1. The relationship between the decelera- tions and the contractions will deter- mine the type of deceleration pattern.

A client enters the labor and delivery suite stating that she thinks she is in labor. Which of the following information about the woman should the nurse note from the woman's prenatal record before proceeding with the physical assessment? Select all that apply. 1. Weight gain. 2. Ethnicity and religion. 3. Age. 4. Type of insurance. 5. Gravidity and parity.

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A client in labor, G2 P1001, was admitted 1 hour ago at 2 cm dilated and 50% effaced. She was talkative and excited at that time. During the past 10 minutes she has become serious, closing her eyes and breathing rapidly with each contraction. Which of the following is an accurate nursing assessment of the situation? 1. The client had poor childbirth education prior to labor. 2. The client is exhibiting an expected behavior for labor. 3. The client is becoming hypoxic and hypercapnic. 4. The client needs her alpha-fetoprotein levels checked.

2 The woman is showing expected signs of the active phase of labor.

A client, G2 P1001, 5 cm dilated and 40% effaced, has just received an epidural. Which of the following actions is important for the nurse to take at this time? 1. Assess the woman's temperature. 2. Place a wedge under the woman's side. 3. Place a blanket roll under the woman's feet. 4. Assess the woman's pedal pulses.

2. A wedge should be placed under one side of the woman.

The nurse wishes to assess the variability of the fetal heart rate. Which of the follow- ing actions is recommended prior to performing this assessment? 1. Place the client in the lateral recumbent position. 2. Insert an internal fetal monitor electrode. 3. Administer oxygen to the mother via face mask. 4. Ask the mother to indicate when she feels fetal movement.

2. Before the variability can be accurately assessed, an internal fetal heart elec- trode should be applied.

In addition to breathing with contractions, which of the following actions can help a woman in the first stage of labor to work with her pain? 1. Lying in the lithotomy position. 2. Performing effleurage. 3. Practicing Kegel exercises. 4. Pushing with each contraction.

2. Effleurage is a light massage that can soothe the mother during labor.

77 Immediately following administration of an epidural anesthesia, the nurse must monitor the mother for which of the following? 1. Paresthesias in her feet and legs. 2. Drop in blood pressure. 3. Increase in central venous pressure. 4. Fetal heart accelerations.

2. Hypotension is a very common side effect of regional anesthesia.

The nurse is assessing a client who states, "I think I'm in labor." Which of the following findings would positively confirm the client's belief? 1. She is contracting q 5 min × 60 sec. 2. Her cervix has dilated from 2 to 4 cm. 3. Her membranes have ruptured. 4. The fetal head is engaged.

2. Once the cervix begins to dilate, a client is in true labor.

The nurse is assessing the fetal station during a vaginal examination. Which of the following structures should the nurse palpate? 1. Sacral promontory. 2. Ischial spines. 3. Cervix. 4. Symphysis pubis.

2. Station is assessed by palpating the ischial spines.

A gravid client, G3 P2002, was examined 5 minutes ago. Her cervix was 8 cm dilated and 90% effaced. She now states that she needs to move her bowels. Which of the following actions should the nurse perform first? 1. Offer the client the bedpan. 2. Evaluate the progress of labor. 3. Notify the physician. 4. Encourage the patient to push.

2. The nurse should first assess the progress of labor to see if the client has moved into the second stage of labor.

A woman, G1 P0000, 40 weeks' gestation, entered the labor suite stating that she is in labor. Upon examination it is noted that the woman is 2 cm dilated, 30% effaced, contracting every 12 min × 30 sec. Fetal heart rate is in the 140s with good variabil- ity and spontaneous accelerations. What should the nurse conclude when reporting the findings to the primary health care practitioner? 1. The woman is high risk and should be placed on tocolytics. 2. The woman is in early labor and could be sent home. 3. The woman is high risk and could be induced. 4. The woman is in active labor and should be admitted to the unit.

2. The woman is in early labor. There is no need for her to be hospitalized at this time.

A client is in the second stage of labor. She falls asleep immediately after a contraction. Which of the following actions should the nurse perform as a result? 1. Awaken the woman and remind her to push. 2. Cover the woman's perineum with a sheet. 3. Assess the woman's blood pressure and pulse. 4. Administer oxygen to the woman via face mask.

2. The woman's privacy should be main- tained while she is resting.

A G1 P0, 8 cm dilated, is to receive pain medication. The health care practitioner has decided to order an opiate analgesic with an analgesic-potentiating medication. Which of the following medications would the nurse expect to be ordered as the analgesic-potentiating medication? 1. Seconal (secobarbital). 2. Vistaril (hydroxyzine). 3. Benadryl (diphenhydramine). 4. Tylenol (acetaminophen).

2. Vistaril can be used as an analgesic potentiator.

58 A woman is in active labor and is being monitored electronically. She has just received Stadol 2 mg IM for pain. Which of the following fetal heart responses would the nurse expect to see on the internal monitor tracing? 1. Variable decelerations. 2. Late decelerations. 3. Decreased variability. 4. Transient accelerations.

3. Analgesics are central nervous system (CNS) depressants. The variability of the fetal heart rate, therefore, will be decreased.

A nurse has just performed a vaginal examination on a client in labor. The nurse palpates the baby's buttocks as facing the mother's right side. Where should the nurse place the external fetal monitor electrode? 1. Left upper quadrant (LUQ). 2. Left lower quadrant (LLQ). 3. Right upper quadrant (RUQ). 4. Right lower quadrant (RLQ).

3. Because the baby's back is facing the mother's right side and the sacrum is presenting, the fetal monitor should be placed in her RUQ.

A primigravida is pushing with contractions. The nurse notes that the woman's perineum is beginning to bulge and that there is an increase in bloody show. Which of the following actions by the nurse is appropriate at this time? 1. Report the findings to the woman's health care practitioner. 2. Immediately assess the woman's pulse and blood pressure. 3. Continue to provide encouragement during each contraction. 4. Place the client on her side with oxygen via face mask.

3. Because this is a normal finding, the nurse should continue to provide labor support and encouragement.

52 During delivery, the nurse notes that the baby's head has just been delivered. The nurse concludes that the baby has just gone through which of the following cardinal moves of labor? 1. Flexion. 2. Internal rotation. 3. Extension. 4. External rotation.

3. During extension, the baby's head is birthed.

An obstetrician is performing an amniotomy on a gravid woman in transition. Which of the following assessments must the nurse make immediately following the procedure? 1. Maternal blood pressure. 2. Maternal pulse. 3. Fetal heart rate. 4. Fetal fibronectin level.

3. It is essential to assess the fetal heart rate immediately after an amniotomy.

The nurse is caring for a nulliparous client who attended Lamaze childbirth education classes. Which of the following techniques should the nurse include in her plan of care? Select all that apply. 1. Hypnotic suggestion. 2. Rhythmic chanting. 3. Muscle relaxation. 4. Pelvic rocking. 5. Abdominal massage.

3. Muscle relaxation is an integral part of Lamaze childbirth education. 4. Pelvic rocking is taught in Lamaze classes as a way of easing back pain during pregnancy and labor. 5. Abdominal massage, called effleurage, is also an integral part of Lamaze childbirth education.

On vaginal examination, it is noted that a woman with a well-functioning epidural is in the second stage of labor. The station is −2 and the baseline fetal heart rate is 130 with no decelerations. Which of the following nursing actions is appropriate at this time? 1. Coach the woman to hold her breath while pushing 3 to 4 times with each contraction. 2. Administer oxygen via face mask at 8 to 10 liters per minute. 3. Delay pushing until the baby descends further and the mother has a strong urge to push. 4. Place the woman on her side and assess her oxygen saturation.

3. Once the woman has a strong urge to push, then she should be encouraged to push against an open glottis to birth the baby.

A client is complaining of severe back labor. Which of the following nursing inter- ventions would be most effective? 1. Assist mother with childbirth breathing. 2. Encourage mother to have an epidural. 3. Provide direct sacral pressure. 4. Move the woman to a hydrotherapy tub.

3. When direct sacral pressure is applied, the nurse is providing a counteraction to the pressure being exerted by the fetal head.

When performing Leopold's maneuvers, the nurse notes that the fetus is in the left occiput anterior position. Which is the best position for the nurse to place a fetoscope to hear the fetal heartbeat? 1. Left upper quadrant. 2. Right upper quadrant. 3. Left lower quadrant. 4. Right lower quadrant.

3. The fetoscope should be placed in the left lower quadrant for a fetus positioned in the LOA position as described in the question.

A woman is in the transition phase of labor. Which of the following comments should the nurse expect to hear? 1. "I am so excited to be in labor." 2. "I can't stand this pain any longer!" 3. "I need ice chips because I'm so hot." 4. "I have to push the baby out right now!"

3. This comment is consistent with a woman in the transition phase of stage 1.

A gravid client at term called the labor suite at 7:00 p.m. questioning whether she was in labor. The nurse determined that the client was likely in labor after the client stated: 1. "At 5:00 p.m., the contractions were about 5 minutes apart. Now they're about 7 minutes apart." 2. "I took a walk at 5:00 p.m., and now I talk through my contractions easier than I could then." 3. "I took a shower about a half hour ago. The contractions seem to hurt more since I finished." 4. "I had some tightening in my belly late this afternoon, and I still feel it after waking up from my 2-hour nap."

3. This response indicates that the labor contractions are increasing in intensity.

A nurse is teaching childbirth education classes to a group of pregnant teens. Which of the following strategies would promote learning by the young women? 1. Avoiding the discussion of uncomfortable procedures like vaginal exams and blood tests. 2. Focusing the discussion on baby care rather than on labor and delivery. 3. Utilizing visual aids like movies and posters during the classes. 4. Having the classes at a location other than high school to reduce their embarrassment.

3. Using visual aids can help to foster learning in teens as well as adults.

A woman, G2 P0101, 5 cm dilated, and 30% effaced, is doing first-level Lamaze breathing with contractions. The nurse detects that the woman's shoulder and face muscles are beginning to tense during the contractions. Which of the following interventions should the nurse perform first? 1. Encourage the woman to have an epidural. 2. Encourage the woman to accept intravenous analgesia. 3. Encourage the woman to change her position. 4. Encourage the woman to perform the next level breathing.

4 This woman is in the active phase of labor. The first phase breathing is probably no longer effective. Encour- aging her to shift to the next level of breathing is appropriate at this time.

A nurse is teaching a class of pregnant couples the most therapeutic breathing technique for the latent phase of labor. Which of the following techniques did the nurse teach? 1. Alternately panting and blowing. 2. Rapid, deep breathing. 3. Grunting and pushing with contractions. 4. Slow chest breathing.

4. Most women find slow chest breathing effective during the latent phase.

A nurse determines that a client is carrying a fetus in the vertical lie. The nurse's judgment should be questioned if the fetal presenting part is which of the following? 1. Sacrum. 2. Occiput. 3. Mentum. 4. Scapula.

4. A fetus in a scapular presentation is in a horizontal lie.

A woman who states that she "thinks" she is in labor enters the labor suite. Which of the following assessments will provide the nurse with the most valuable information regarding the client's labor status? 1. Leopold's maneuvers. 2. Fundal contractility. 3. Fetal heart assessment. 4. Vaginal examination.

4. A vaginal examination will provide the nurse with the best information about the status of labor.

A woman has just arrived at the labor and delivery suite. To report the client's status to her primary health care practitioner, which of the following assessments should the nurse perform? Select all that apply. 1. Fetal heart rate. 2. Contraction pattern. 3. Urinalysis. 4. Vital signs. 5. Biophysical profile.

1, 2, and 4 are correct. 1. The nurse should assess the fetal heart before reporting the client's status to the health care provider. 2. The nurse should assess the contraction pattern before reporting the client's status. 3. A complete urinalysis would likely be ordered by the primary health care practitioner once the client has been officially admitted, but the test would not be performed during the initial assessment process. 4. The nurse should assess the woman's vi- tal signs before reporting her status. 5. A biophysical profile is performed only if ordered by a health care practitioner.

A client in labor is talkative and happy. How many centimeters dilated would a maternity nurse suspect that the client is at this time? 1. 2cm. 2. 4cm. 3. 8cm. 4. 10 cm.

1. The nurse would expect the woman to be 2 cm dilated.⊄

The labor and delivery nurse performs Leopold's maneuvers. A soft round mass is felt in the fundal region. A flat object is noted on the left and small objects are noted on the right of the uterus. A hard round mass is noted above the symphysis. Which of the following positions is consistent with these findings? 1. Left occipital anterior (LOA). 2. Left sacral posterior (LSP). 3. Right mentum anterior (RMA). 4. Right sacral posterior (RSP).

1. The nurse's findings upon performing Leopold's maneuvers indicate that the fetus is in the left occiput anterior posi- tion (LOA)—that is, the fetal back is felt on the mother's left side, the small parts are felt on her right side, the buttocks are felt in the fundal region, and the head is felt above her symphysis.

A multipara, LOA, station +3, who has had no pain medication during her labor, is now in stage 2. She states that her pain is 6 on a 10-point scale and that she wants an epidural. Which of the following responses by the nurse is appropriate? 1. "Epidurals do not work well when the pain level is above level 5." 2. "I will contact the doctor to get an order for an epidural right away." 3. "The baby is going to be born very soon. It is really too late for an epidural." 4. "I will check the fetal heart rate. You can have an epidural if it is over 120."

3. Because this woman is a multipara, the position is LOA, and the station is +3, this is an accurate statement.

The nurse enters a laboring client's room. The client is complaining of intense back pain with each contraction. The nurse concludes that the fetus is likely in which of the following positions? 1. Mentum anterior. 2. Sacrum posterior. 3. Occiput posterior. 4. Scapula anterior.

3. When a fetus is in the occiput posterior position, mothers frequently complain of severe back pain.

A nurse is caring for a laboring woman who is in transition. Which of the following signs/symptoms would indicate that the woman is progressing into the second stage of labor? Select all that apply. 1. Bulging perineum. 2. Increased bloody show. 3. Spontaneous rupture of the membranes. 4. Uncontrollable urge to push. 5. Inability to breathe through contractions.

1, 2, and 4 are correct. As the fetal head descends through a fully dilated cervix, the perineum begins to bulge, the bloody show increases, and the laboring woman usually feels a strong urge to push. 1. A bulging perineum indicates progres- sion to the second stage of labor. 2. The bloody show increases as a woman enters the second stage of labor. 3. The amniotic sac can rupture at any time. 4. With a fully dilated cervix and bulging perineum, laboring women usually feel a strong urge to push. 5. The gravida's ability to work with her labor is more dependent on her level of pain and her preparation for labor than on the phases and/or stages of labor.

89 The nurse is performing a vaginal examination on a client in labor. The client is found to be 5 cm dilated, 90% effaced, and station −2. Which of the following has the nurse palpated? 1. Thin cervix. 2. Bulging fetal membranes. 3. Head at the pelvic outlet. 4. Closed cervix.

1. The cervix is thin.

A midwife advises a mother that her obstetric conjugate is of average size. How should the nurse interpret that information for the mother? 1. The anterior to posterior diameter of the pelvis will accommodate a fetus with an average-sized head. 2. The fetal head is flexed so that it is of average diameter. 3. The mother's cervix is of average dilation for the start of labor. 4. The distance between the mother's physiological retraction ring and the fetal head is of average dimensions.

1. The obstetric conjugate is the shortest anterior to posterior diameter of the pelvis. When it is of average size, it will accommodate an average-sized fetal head.

The nurse auscultates a fetal heart rate of 152 on a client in early labor. Which of the following actions by the nurse is appropriate? 1. Inform the mother that the rate is normal. 2. Reassess in 5 minutes to verify the results. 3. Immediately report the rate to the health care practitioner. 4. Place the client on her left side and apply oxygen by face mask.

1. This is the correct response. A fetal heart rate of 152 is normal.

The nurse is assessing an internal fetal heart monitor tracing of an unmedicated, full- term gravida who is in transition. Which of the following heart rate patterns would the nurse interpret as normal? 1. Baseline of 140 to 150 with V-shaped decelerations to 120 unrelated to contractions. 2. Baseline of 140 to 150 with decelerations to 100 that mirror each of the contractions. 3. Baseline of 140 to 142 with decelerations to 120 that return to baseline after the end of the contractions. 4. Baseline of 140 to 142 with no obvious decelerations or accelerations.

2. AbaselineFHof140to150isa baseline showing moderate, or normal, variability. Decelerations that mirror contractions are defined as early decelerations. These are related to head compression and are expected during transition and second stage labor.

During a vaginal examination, the nurse palpates fetal buttocks that are facing the left posterior and are 1 cm above the ischial spines. Which of the following is consis- tent with this assessment? 1. LOA −1 station. 2. LSP −1 station. 3. LMP +1 station. 4. LSA +1 station.

2. The LSP position is the correct answer. The fetal buttocks (S or sacrum) are facing toward the mother's left poste- rior (LP) and buttocks at -1 station are 1 cm above the ischial spines.

An ultrasound report states, "The fetal head has entered the pelvic inlet." What does the nurse interpret this statement to mean? 1. The fetus has become engaged. 2. The fetal head has entered the true pelvis. 3. The fetal lie is horizontal. 4. The fetus is in an extended attitude.

2. The inlet's boundaries are: the sacral promontory and the upper margins of the ilia, ischia, and the symphysis pubis. This is the entry into the true pelvis.

A low-risk 38-week gestation woman calls the labor unit and says, "I have to come to the hospital right now. I just saw pink streaks on the toilet tissue when I went to the bathroom. I'm bleeding." Which of the following responses should the nurse make first? 1. "Does it burn when you void?" 2. "You sound frightened." 3. "That is just the mucous plug." 4. "How much blood is there?"

2. The nurse is using reflection to acknowledge the client's concerns.

A woman is in the second stage of labor with a strong urge to push. Which of the following actions by the nurse is appropriate at this time? 1. Assess the fetal heart rate between contractions every 60 minutes. 2. Encourage the woman to grunt during contractions. 3. Assess the pulse and respirations of the mother every 5 minutes. 4. Position the woman on her back with her knees on her chest.

2. The woman should be encouraged to grunt during contractions.

A woman had a baby by normal spontaneous delivery 10 minutes ago. The nurse notes that a gush of blood was just expelled from the vagina and the umbilical cord lengthened. What should the nurse conclude? 1. The woman has an internal laceration. 2. The woman is about to deliver the placenta. 3. The woman has an atonic uterus. 4. The woman is ready to expel the cord bloods.

2. These are signs of placental delivery.

A client who is 7 cm dilated and 100% effaced is breathing at a rate of 50 breaths per minute during contractions. Immediately after a contraction, she complains of tingling in her fingers and some light-headedness. Which of the following actions should the nurse take at this time? 1. Assess the blood pressure. 2. Have the woman breathe into a bag. 3. Turn the woman on her side. 4. Check the fetal heart rate.

2. This client is showing signs of hyperventilation. The symptoms will likely subside if she rebreathes her exhalations.

The childbirth educator is teaching a class of pregnant couples the breathing technique that is most appropriate during the second stage of labor. Which of the following techniques did the nurse teach the women to do? 1. Alternately pant and blow. 2. Take rhythmic, shallow breaths. 3. Push down with an open glottis. 4. Do slow chest breathing.

3. Open glottal pushing is used during stage 2 of labor.

Which of the following responses is the primary rationale for the inclusion of the information taught in childbirth education classes? 1. Mothers who are performing breathing exercises during labor refrain from yelling. 2. Breathing and relaxation exercises are less exhausting than crying and moaning. 3. Knowledge learned at childbirth education classes helps to break the fear- tension-pain cycle. 4. Childbirth education classes help to promote positive maternal-newborn bonding.

3. Some of the techniques learned at childbirth education classes are meant to break the fear-tension-pain cycle.

A nurse describes a client's contraction pattern as: frequency every 3 min and duration 60 sec. Which of the following responses corresponds to this description? 1. Contractions lasting 60 seconds followed by a 1-minute rest period. 2. Contractions lasting 120 seconds followed by a 2-minute rest period. 3. Contractions lasting 2 minutes followed by a 60-second rest period. 4. Contractions lasting 1 minute followed by a 120-second rest period.

4. The frequency and duration of this contraction pattern is every 3 minutes lasting 60 seconds.

A woman, 40 weeks' gestation, calls the labor unit to see whether or not she should go to the hospital to be evaluated. Which of the following statements by the woman indicates that she is probably in labor and should proceed to the hospital? 1. "The contractions are 5 to 20 minutes apart." 2. "I saw a pink discharge on the toilet tissue when I went to the bathroom." 3. "I have had cramping for the past 3 or 4 hours." 4. "The contractions are about a minute long and I am unable to talk through them."

4. This client is exhibiting clear signs of true labor. Not only are the contrac- tions lasting a full minute but she is stating that they are so uncomfortable that she is unable to speak through them. She should be seen.

47 A woman who is in active labor is told by her obstetrician, "Your baby is in the flexed attitude." When she asks the nurse what that means, what should the nurse say? 1. The baby is in the breech position. 2. The baby is in the horizontal lie. 3. The baby's presenting part is engaged. 4. The baby's chin is resting on its chest.

4. When the baby's chin is on his or her chest, the baby is in the flexed attitude.

One hour ago, a multipara was examined with the following results: 8 cm, 50% effaced, and +1 station. She is now pushing with contractions and the fetal head is seen at the vaginal introitus. The nurse concludes that the client is now: 1. 2. 3. 4. 9 cm dilated, 70% effaced, and +2 station. 9 cm dilated, 80% effaced, and +3 station. 10 cm dilated, 90% effaced, and +4 station. 10 cm dilated, 100% effaced, and +5 station.

4. The cervix is fully dilated and fully effaced and the baby is low enough to be seen through the vaginal introitus.

Upon examination, a nurse notes that a woman is 10 cm dilated, 100% effaced, and −3 station. Which of the following actions should the nurse perform during the next contraction? 1. Encourage the woman to push. 2. Provide firm fundal pressure. 3. Move the client into a squat. 4. Monitor for signs of rectal pressure.

4. Monitoring for rectal pressure is appropriate at this time.

The childbirth education nurse is evaluating the learning of four women, 38 to 40 weeks' gestation, regarding when they should go to the hospital. The nurse determines that the teaching was successful when a client makes which of the following statements? Select all that apply. 1. The client who says, "If I feel a pain in my back and lower abdomen every 5 min- utes." 2. The client who says, "When I feel a gush of clear fluid from my vagina." 3. The client who says, "When I go to the bathroom and see the mucous plug on the toilet tissue." 4. The client who says, "If I ever notice a greenish discharge from my vagina." 5. The client who says, "When I have felt cramping in my abdomen for 4 hours or more."

1, 2, and 4 are correct. 1. True labor contractions often begin in the back and, when the frequency of the contractions is q 5 minutes or less, it is usually appropriate for the client to proceed to the hospital. 2. Even if the woman is not having labor contractions, rupture of membranes is a reason to go to the hospital to be assessed. 3. Expelling the mucous plug is not sufficient reason to go to the hospital to be assessed. 4. Greenish liquid is likely meconium- stained fluid. The client needs to be assessed. 5. The latent phase of labor can last up to a full day. In addition, Braxton Hicks' contractions can last for quite a while. Even though a woman may feel cramping for 4 hours or more, she may not be in true labor.

A pregnant woman is discussing positioning and the use of leg stirrups for delivery with a labor nurse. Which of the following client responses indicates that the client understood the information? Select all that apply. 1. When the client states, "I am glad that deliveries can take place in a variety of places, including a Jacuzzi bathtub." 2. When the client says, "I heard that for doctors to deliver babies safely, it is essential to have the mother's legs up in stirrups." 3. When the client states, "I understand that if the fetus needs to turn during labor, I may end up delivering the baby on my hands and knees." 4. When the client says, "During difficult deliveries it is sometimes necessary to put a woman's legs up in stirrups." 5. When the client states, "I heard that midwives often deliver their patients either in the side-lying or squatting position."

1, 3, 4, and 5 are correct. 1. This statement is true. A birth may take place in the shower, when the mother is in a soaking tub, in a bed, or even while standing. 3. If the fetus is in the posterior or trans- verse position, the woman may be en- couraged to push while on her hands and knees. This may enable the baby to turn into the anterior position and the delivery may soon follow. 4. Many mothers deliver in their labor beds without stirrups. Some beds transform into delivery beds and some are regular hospital beds. Still others are double or queen-sized beds so that the father and/or the delivering practi- tioner can also relax in the bed. When forceps or other interventions are needed for a delivery, however, stirrups may be required. 5. Midwives deliver their clients in a vari- ety of positions, including the side-ly- ing, squatting, and lithotomy positions, as well as when the clients are on their hands and knees.

A nurse concludes that a woman is in the latent phase of labor. Which of the follow- ing signs/symptoms would lead a nurse to that conclusion? 1. The woman talks and laughs during contractions. 2. The woman complains about severe back labor. 3. The woman performs effleurage during a contraction. 4. The woman asks to go to the bathroom to defecate.

1. Talking and laughing are characteristic behaviors of the latent phase.

While caring for a client in the transition phase of labor, the nurse notes that the fetal monitor tracing shows average short-term and long-term variability with a baseline of 142 beats per minute (bpm). What should the nurse do? 1. Provide caring labor support. 2. Administer oxygen via face mask. 3. Change the client's position. 4. Speed up the client's intravenous.

1. The tracing is showing a normal fetal heart tracing. No intervention is needed.

While performing Leopold's maneuvers on a woman in labor, the nurse palpates a hard round mass in the fundal area, a flat surface on the left side, small objects on the right side, and a soft round mass just above the symphysis. Which of the following is a reasonable conclusion by the nurse? 1. The fetal position is transverse. 2. The fetal presentation is vertex. 3. The fetal lie is vertical. 4. The fetal attitude is flexed.

3. With the findings of a hard round mass in the fundal area and soft round mass above the symphysis, the nurse can conclude that the fetal lie is vertical.

The nurse documents in a laboring woman's chart that the fetal heart is being "assessed via intermittent auscultation." To be consistent with this statement, the nurse, using a Doppler electrode, should assess the fetal heart at which of the following times? 1. After every contraction. 2. For 10 minutes every half hour. 3. Periodically during the peak of contractions. 4. For 1 minute immediately after contractions.

4. Intermittent auscultation should be performed for 1 full minute after contractions end.

A nurse is coaching a woman who is in the second stage of labor. Which of the following should the nurse encourage the woman to do? 1. Hold her breath for twenty seconds during every contraction. 2. Blow out forcefully during every contraction. 3. Push between contractions until the fetal head is visible. 4. Take a slow cleansing breath before bearing down.

4. By taking a slow, cleansing breath before pushing, the woman is waiting until the contraction builds to its peak. Her pushes will be more effective at this point in the contraction.

The nurse sees the fetal head through the vaginal introitus when a woman pushes. The nurse, interpreting this finding, tells the client, "You are pushing very well." In addition, the nurse could also state which of the following? 1. "The baby's head is engaged." 2. "The baby is floating." 3. "The baby is at the ischial spines." 4. "The baby is almost crowning."

4. The baby's head is almost crowning.

It is 4 p.m. A client, G1 P0000, 3 cm dilated, asks the nurse when the dinner tray will be served. The nurse replies: 1. "Laboring clients are never allowed to eat." 2. "Believe me, you will not want to eat by the time it is the dinner hour. Most women throw up, you know." 3. "The dinner tray should arrive in an hour or two." 4. "A heavy meal is discouraged. I can get clear fluids for you whenever you would like them, though."

4. This is the best response.

During the third stage, the following physiological changes occur. Please place the changes in chronological order. 1. Hematoma forms behind the placenta. 2. Membranes separate from the uterine wall. 3. The uterus contracts firmly. 4. The uterine surface area dramatically decreases.

The order of change during the third stage of labor is: 3, 4, 1, 2.