OB NCLEX Questions – Maternity Nursing
Review | Latest Update 2026 | Exam Prep PDF
| Graded A+
Which of the following tasks may be delegated to the nursing assistant?
a. checking the cervix of the patient who is less likely to deliver soon
b. administering oxygen to the mother who has decreasing oxygen saturations
c. providing ice chips for a mother who complains of a dry mouth
d. Tearing off a strip of paper from the fetal heart rate monitor and putting it in the chart -
correct answerC- When working in L&D the UAP can help with ADLs. They cannot be
delegated tasks that require formulating a care plan, taking off orders, or administering
medications
Which of the following situations would most likely warrant contact with a physician for
further orders for care or treatment?
A. A patient has a 3rd degree perineal laceration after delivery
B. A patient has lost 100 mL of blood with delivery
C. A patient has a boggy uterus that does not firm with massage
D. A patient is having rectal pain - correct answerC. When caring for postpartum
patients, the nurse must be familiar with what conditions are common occurrences
following delivery and what situations warrant a call to the physician for further help.
Postpartum complications often include infection, blood clots, and hemorrhage. Excess
bleeding may occur when the uterus is boggy and it does not firm up with massage.
Following removal of the epidural, the patient develops a severe headache when she
sits up in bed. The physician has instructed the patient that she will need a blood patch.
Which best describes this procedure?
A. Removing blood from a vein in the patient and injecting it into the epidural space in
the back
B. Placement of a large bandage over the site of the epidural insertion.
C. Replacement of the epidural catheter into the same space for long-term control
D. Placement of a nerve block in the spinal column at the location of the affected
epidural space - correct answerA- When CSF leaks out of the epidural space a severe
headache in the patient can occur. A blood patch can be performed by a physician to
close the site. The small amount of blood is withdrawn from the mother's arm and the
blood clots in the space.
Which of the patients described should the nurse see first?
A. 20 yr old patient who just had her first baby and doesn't know how to breastfeed
B. 27 yr old diabetic patient who delivered her second child yesterday and needs her
morning dose of insulin
,C. 24 yr old patient who has had a large amount of lochia and has developed a
hematoma on her perineum
D. 30 yr old patient who needs to take a shower and eat breakfast before the physician
comes to dismiss her - correct answerC. A patient with a hematoma is at risk of
hemorrhage and the nurse should assess her first
On the first following delivery, the physician ordered a hemoglobin level for the patient;
the result was 9.9 g/dL. The physician did not list any other orders in the patient's chart
since that time. Which response of the nurse is most appropriate>
A. call the physician and ask if he wants a blood transfusion for the patient
B. ask the physician about the hemoglobin level when he comes in for rounds
C. Contact the laboratory and ask them to repeat the test
D. continue to monitor the patient and document the result - correct answerB. A
postpartum patient is at risk of hemorrhage following delivery; often the physician will
order a hemoglobin level 1-2 days after delivery to check the mother's risk status. A
level of 9.9 g/dL is lower than normal for a female patient, but is not necessarily low
enough to warrant a blood transfusion.
The patient's medical record states that she tested positive for group B Streptococcus
infection. which of the following precautions should be given in this situation?
A. the patient should receive antibiotics at this time
b. the patient should be given antibiotics during labor
c. the fetus should receive antibiotics as a prenatal infusion
d. there is no treatment necessary - correct answerB- B. Streptococcus can be
transferred to the baby during delivery to cause an infection. the test for the bacteria is
performed at approximately 35 weeks gestation, but antibiotics are typically not given
until the mother is in labor to reduce the chance that she will pass the infection to her
child
When reviewing information about infant care, the nurse should explain that the
postpartum client should call the physician if her infant developed which of the following
conditions?
A. The infant is only sleeping 4 hours at night
B. the baby wants to eat every hour
C. The baby's cord has not fallen off within 7 days
D. The baby has a dry mouth - correct answerD- If a baby has dry mouth or dry mucous
membranes, he or she could be dehydrated and not getting enough to eat.
Which of the following patients would be at high risk of developing pre-eclampsia?
Select all that apply.
A. A patient who is pregnant with her 3rd child
B. A patient who is married
C. A patient who is 40 yrs old
D. A patient who is overweight
E. A patient who is pregnant with twins - correct answerC, D, E-Pre-eclampsia is a state
that develops during pregnancy in which a mother has high blood pressure and starts
, losing protein into the urine.Certain risks that increase such as a first time pregnancy,
advanced maternal age, overweight or obesity in the mother, and pregnancy with
multiple babies
A high risk pregnant patient has had a complicated delivery and is in the recovery room
with active bleeding. The physician has ordered hetastarch in sodium chloride (Hespan)
IV infusion. Which best describes the indications for this fluid?
A. increasing plasma volume during shock or bleeding
B. Causing blood coagulation to promote blood clotting
C. Improving circulation by causing vasodilation
D. Increasing cardiac contractility to improve circulation - correct answerA- Hetastarch
in sodium chloride (Hespan) is a type of plasma expanding solution that is used to
increase the volume of the intravascular system during times of blood loss. Hespan is
typically used for volume replacement to prevent complications of severe hemorrhage,
such as hypovolemic shock
A patient with high bp during labor has been given magnesium sulfate IV. In addition to
regulation of bp, which of the following results would the nurse expect to see after
administration of this medication?
A. cool, pale skin
B. Constipation
C. Muscle weakness
D. Neck pain - correct answerC- Administration of magnesium sulfate is a form of
treatment used for some women who have pre-eclampsia during pregnancy and labor.
Magnesium sulfate is given to prevent preterm delivery but it can also cause some
negative effects in the mother, including muscle weakness, blurred vision, headache,
nausea, and vomiting
A patient receiving TPN with lipids thru a central line placed in the subclavian vein.
Which complication is most closely associated with this type of fluid administration?
A. Fractured ribs
B. Pneumothorax
C. Mental confusion
D. Allergic reaction - correct answerPneumothorax
A patient who is 28 weeks' gestation undergoes a nonstress test when she noticed that
the baby hasn't moved recently. the results are considered reactive. What does this
mean?
A. the baby has normal heart rate accelerations
b. the baby does not have any noted birth defects
c. the baby is most likely neurologically impaired
d. the baby is going to be born preterm - correct answerA- NST may be performed on a
pregnant patient after approximately 28 weeks' gestation. the NST is noninvasive and
involves monitoring the baby's heart rate and movements for a period of about 30
minutes. A reactive test indicates that the baby has changes in heart rate in response to
movement, which is normal
Review | Latest Update 2026 | Exam Prep PDF
| Graded A+
Which of the following tasks may be delegated to the nursing assistant?
a. checking the cervix of the patient who is less likely to deliver soon
b. administering oxygen to the mother who has decreasing oxygen saturations
c. providing ice chips for a mother who complains of a dry mouth
d. Tearing off a strip of paper from the fetal heart rate monitor and putting it in the chart -
correct answerC- When working in L&D the UAP can help with ADLs. They cannot be
delegated tasks that require formulating a care plan, taking off orders, or administering
medications
Which of the following situations would most likely warrant contact with a physician for
further orders for care or treatment?
A. A patient has a 3rd degree perineal laceration after delivery
B. A patient has lost 100 mL of blood with delivery
C. A patient has a boggy uterus that does not firm with massage
D. A patient is having rectal pain - correct answerC. When caring for postpartum
patients, the nurse must be familiar with what conditions are common occurrences
following delivery and what situations warrant a call to the physician for further help.
Postpartum complications often include infection, blood clots, and hemorrhage. Excess
bleeding may occur when the uterus is boggy and it does not firm up with massage.
Following removal of the epidural, the patient develops a severe headache when she
sits up in bed. The physician has instructed the patient that she will need a blood patch.
Which best describes this procedure?
A. Removing blood from a vein in the patient and injecting it into the epidural space in
the back
B. Placement of a large bandage over the site of the epidural insertion.
C. Replacement of the epidural catheter into the same space for long-term control
D. Placement of a nerve block in the spinal column at the location of the affected
epidural space - correct answerA- When CSF leaks out of the epidural space a severe
headache in the patient can occur. A blood patch can be performed by a physician to
close the site. The small amount of blood is withdrawn from the mother's arm and the
blood clots in the space.
Which of the patients described should the nurse see first?
A. 20 yr old patient who just had her first baby and doesn't know how to breastfeed
B. 27 yr old diabetic patient who delivered her second child yesterday and needs her
morning dose of insulin
,C. 24 yr old patient who has had a large amount of lochia and has developed a
hematoma on her perineum
D. 30 yr old patient who needs to take a shower and eat breakfast before the physician
comes to dismiss her - correct answerC. A patient with a hematoma is at risk of
hemorrhage and the nurse should assess her first
On the first following delivery, the physician ordered a hemoglobin level for the patient;
the result was 9.9 g/dL. The physician did not list any other orders in the patient's chart
since that time. Which response of the nurse is most appropriate>
A. call the physician and ask if he wants a blood transfusion for the patient
B. ask the physician about the hemoglobin level when he comes in for rounds
C. Contact the laboratory and ask them to repeat the test
D. continue to monitor the patient and document the result - correct answerB. A
postpartum patient is at risk of hemorrhage following delivery; often the physician will
order a hemoglobin level 1-2 days after delivery to check the mother's risk status. A
level of 9.9 g/dL is lower than normal for a female patient, but is not necessarily low
enough to warrant a blood transfusion.
The patient's medical record states that she tested positive for group B Streptococcus
infection. which of the following precautions should be given in this situation?
A. the patient should receive antibiotics at this time
b. the patient should be given antibiotics during labor
c. the fetus should receive antibiotics as a prenatal infusion
d. there is no treatment necessary - correct answerB- B. Streptococcus can be
transferred to the baby during delivery to cause an infection. the test for the bacteria is
performed at approximately 35 weeks gestation, but antibiotics are typically not given
until the mother is in labor to reduce the chance that she will pass the infection to her
child
When reviewing information about infant care, the nurse should explain that the
postpartum client should call the physician if her infant developed which of the following
conditions?
A. The infant is only sleeping 4 hours at night
B. the baby wants to eat every hour
C. The baby's cord has not fallen off within 7 days
D. The baby has a dry mouth - correct answerD- If a baby has dry mouth or dry mucous
membranes, he or she could be dehydrated and not getting enough to eat.
Which of the following patients would be at high risk of developing pre-eclampsia?
Select all that apply.
A. A patient who is pregnant with her 3rd child
B. A patient who is married
C. A patient who is 40 yrs old
D. A patient who is overweight
E. A patient who is pregnant with twins - correct answerC, D, E-Pre-eclampsia is a state
that develops during pregnancy in which a mother has high blood pressure and starts
, losing protein into the urine.Certain risks that increase such as a first time pregnancy,
advanced maternal age, overweight or obesity in the mother, and pregnancy with
multiple babies
A high risk pregnant patient has had a complicated delivery and is in the recovery room
with active bleeding. The physician has ordered hetastarch in sodium chloride (Hespan)
IV infusion. Which best describes the indications for this fluid?
A. increasing plasma volume during shock or bleeding
B. Causing blood coagulation to promote blood clotting
C. Improving circulation by causing vasodilation
D. Increasing cardiac contractility to improve circulation - correct answerA- Hetastarch
in sodium chloride (Hespan) is a type of plasma expanding solution that is used to
increase the volume of the intravascular system during times of blood loss. Hespan is
typically used for volume replacement to prevent complications of severe hemorrhage,
such as hypovolemic shock
A patient with high bp during labor has been given magnesium sulfate IV. In addition to
regulation of bp, which of the following results would the nurse expect to see after
administration of this medication?
A. cool, pale skin
B. Constipation
C. Muscle weakness
D. Neck pain - correct answerC- Administration of magnesium sulfate is a form of
treatment used for some women who have pre-eclampsia during pregnancy and labor.
Magnesium sulfate is given to prevent preterm delivery but it can also cause some
negative effects in the mother, including muscle weakness, blurred vision, headache,
nausea, and vomiting
A patient receiving TPN with lipids thru a central line placed in the subclavian vein.
Which complication is most closely associated with this type of fluid administration?
A. Fractured ribs
B. Pneumothorax
C. Mental confusion
D. Allergic reaction - correct answerPneumothorax
A patient who is 28 weeks' gestation undergoes a nonstress test when she noticed that
the baby hasn't moved recently. the results are considered reactive. What does this
mean?
A. the baby has normal heart rate accelerations
b. the baby does not have any noted birth defects
c. the baby is most likely neurologically impaired
d. the baby is going to be born preterm - correct answerA- NST may be performed on a
pregnant patient after approximately 28 weeks' gestation. the NST is noninvasive and
involves monitoring the baby's heart rate and movements for a period of about 30
minutes. A reactive test indicates that the baby has changes in heart rate in response to
movement, which is normal
