Exam 12: Nursing Care of the Family During Labor and Birth

Through vaginal examination the nurse determines that a woman is 4 cm dilated, and the external fetal monitor shows uterine contractions every 3½ to 4 minutes. The nurse would report this as:

A multiparous woman has been in labor for 8 hours. Her membranes have just ruptured. The nurse's initial response would be to:

The most critical nursing action in caring for the newborn immediately after birth is:

As the United States and Canada continue to become more culturally diverse, it is increasingly important for the nursing staff to recognize a wide range of varying cultural beliefs and practices. Nurses need to develop respect for these culturally diverse practices and learn to incorporate these into a mutually agreed on plan of care. Although it is common practice in the United States for the father of the baby to be present at the birth, in many societies this is not the case. When implementing care, the nurse would anticipate that a woman from which country would have the father of the baby in attendance?

A nulliparous woman who has just begun the second stage of her labor would most likely:

Women who have participated in childbirth education classes often bring a "birth plan" with them to the hospital. This document includes the couple's preference related to (choose all that apply):

The nurse expects to administer an oxytocic (uterotonic such as Pitocin, Methergine) to a woman after expulsion of her placenta to:

Which description of the phases of the second stage of labor is accurate?

When a nulliparous woman telephones the hospital to report that she is in labor, the nurse initially should:

With regard to a woman's intake and output during labor, nurses should be aware that:

When managing the care of a woman in the second stage of labor, the nurse uses various measures to enhance the progress of fetal descent. These measures include:

When assessing a woman in the first stage of labor, the nurse recognizes that the most conclusive sign that uterine contractions are effective would be:

Vaginal examinations should be performed by the nurse under all of these circumstances except:

For women who have a history of sexual abuse, a number of traumatic memories may be triggered during labor. The woman may fight the labor process and react with pain or anger. Alternately she may become a passive player and emotionally absent herself from the process. The nurse is in a unique position of being able to assist the woman to associate the sensations of labor with the process of childbirth and not the past abuse. The nurse can implement a number of care measures to help the woman view the childbirth experience in a positive manner. Which intervention would be key for the nurse to use while providing care?

When assessing a multiparous woman who has just given birth to an 8-pound boy, the nurse notes that the woman's fundus is firm and has become globular in shape. A gush of dark red blood comes from her vagina. The nurse concludes that:

The uterine contractions of a woman early in the active phase of labor are assessed by an internal uterine pressure catheter (IUPC). The nurse notes that the intrauterine pressure at the peak of the contraction ranges from 65 to 70 mm Hg and the resting tone range is 6 to 10 mm Hg. The uterine contractions occur every 3 to 4 minutes and last an average of 55 to 60 seconds. On the basis of this information, the nurse should:

If a woman complains of back labor pain, the nurse might best suggest that she:

A woman who is 39 weeks pregnant expresses fear about her impending labor and how she will manage. The nurse's best response is:

The nurse teaches a pregnant woman about the characteristics of true labor contractions. The nurse evaluates that the woman understands the instructions when she states:

The nurse who performs vaginal examinations to assess a woman's progress in labor should: