Ch 1: Perspectives on Maternal and Child Health Care

Which statement best describes the pattern of maternal mortality since World War II? A) It has steadily decreased. B) It has remained constant. C) It has steadily increased. D) After decreasing until the 1960s, it has increased steadily.

A) It has steadily decreased. Improved prenatal care and early ambulation after birth are factors that have decreased maternal death rates following birth.

A nurse is speaking with a client who has just learned that she is pregnant with her first child. The nurse reads in the client's chart that she does not drink alcohol on a regular basis. However, the nurse decides to go ahead and warn the client about the dangers of drinking alcohol while pregnant. Which phase of health care would this action be classified as? A) health promotion B) health maintenance C) health restoration D) health rehabilitation

A) health promotion This action is an example of health promotion, which may be defined as educating parents and children to follow sound health practices through teaching and role modeling. Health maintenance is intervening to maintain health when risk of illness is present. Health restoration is using conscientious assessment to be certain symptoms of illness are identified and interventions are begun to return the client to wellness most rapidly. Health rehabilitation is helping prevent complications from illness, helping a client with residual effects achieve an optimal state of wellness and independence, and helping a client to accept inevitable death.

Pediatric nurses are developing more home care and community-based services for children with chronic illnesses because: A) increasing numbers of children live with chronic disabilities due to advances in health care that allow children with formerly fatal diseases to survive. B) uninsured families can access these services. C) there are fewer positions for nurses in institutions providing acute care. D) disability and chronic illness have increased with the appearance of more genetic abnormalities. E) more disabilities are occurring in children because many women are delaying pregnancy and giving birth to babies later in life.

A) increasing numbers of children live with chronic disabilities due to advances in health care that allow children with formerly fatal diseases to survive. Advances in health care have led to more children living with chronic illness or disability. The statements about genetic disease and older women may contain some truth but have only added a few people to the chronic illness total. Acute care pediatric nursing positions are decreasing in community hospitals but are more available in medical centers. Uninsured families may or may not be able to access non-hospital care.

Infant mortality is a standard measurement of the quality of health care in the country. Which factors contribute to the high numbers of deaths in the United States? Select all that apply. A) preterm births B) maternal age 30 to 34 years of age C) female gender of infant D) maternal complications E) congenital deformities and chromosomal abnormalities

A) preterm births D) maternal complications E) congenital deformities and chromosomal abnormalities Many factors contribute to the high infant mortality rates in the United States. Some of the most common factors are low gestational age and prematurity, congenital deformities and chromosomal abnormalities, and maternal complications such as incompetent cervix, multiple births, and premature rupture of membranes. Female infants have lower mortality rates than males, and the best outcomes are in mothers who give birth between 30 and 34 years of age.

A nurse is reviewing the statistical outcomes related to fetal deaths nationwide and notes that the numbers have changed over the last several decades. The best explanation would be: A) expectant mothers are seeking prenatal care, resulting in decreases in the number. B) improved prenatal care has reduced the numbers of fetal deaths. C) increases are noted because of the growing number of pregnancies to teen mothers. D) increases are noted due to the increasing number of older mothers becoming pregnant.

B) improved prenatal care has reduced the numbers of fetal deaths. The number of fetal deaths in the US has fallen. This has been attributed to the improvement in the delivery of prenatal care.

A client, 6 hours post-birth, has a severe postpartum hemorrhage that the health care providers are unable to control. She succumbed to the hemorrhage in the intensive care unit. The client's death would become part of the: A) neonatal morbidity rate. B) neonatal mortality rate. C) maternal mortality rate. D) maternal morbidity rate.

C) maternal mortality rate. The maternal mortality ratio is the annual number of deaths from any cause related to or aggravated by pregnancy or its management. Morbidity refers to diseases. The infant mortality rate is the number of deaths occurring in the first 12 months of life. Neonatal mortality is reflected in the infant mortality rate.