WGU MEDICAL NURSING RN | LIPPINCOTT
BENCHMARK FINAL SPRING EXAMINATION-2026
Paper 2|Questions and Verified Correct Answers
|Higher Tier Exam
Pass Guaranteed | Grade A+
A pregnant woman undergoing amniocentesis asks her nurse why the baby needs this fluid.
What would be an accurate response from the nurse?
a. "Amniotic fluid cushions your baby to prevent injury."
b. "Amniotic fluid supplies the food your baby needs to grow."
c. "Amniotic fluid keeps the fetus from moving freely inside it to prevent injury."
d. "Amniotic fluid provides fetal blood circulation."
a. "Amniotic fluid cushions your baby to prevent injury."
A nonstress test is an assessment test based on which phenomenon?
a. Fetal heart rate slows in response to a uterine contraction.
b. Fetal movement causes an increase in maternal heart rate.
c. Fetal heart sounds increase in connection with fetal movement.
d. Braxton-Hicks contractions cause fetal heart-rate alterations.
c. Fetal heart sounds increase in connection with fetal movement.
1|Page
,The nurse is evaluating the fetal heart rate rhythm strip and determines that the amplitude
varies with a rate 15 to 20 beats/min. What does this assessment finding indicate to the nurse
about variability?
a. Variability is absent.
b. Variability is normal.
c. Variability is minimal.
d. Variability is marked.
b. Variability is normal.
If a fetus were not receiving enough oxygen during labor because of uteroplacental
insufficiency, which pattern would the nurse anticipate seeing on the monitor?
a. Fetal baseline rate increasing at least 5 mm Hg with contractions
b. Variable decelerations, too unpredictable to count
c. A shallow deceleration occurring with the beginning of contractions
d. Fetal heart rate declining late with contractions and remaining depressed
d. Fetal heart rate declining late with contractions and remaining depressed
A client is to have an amniocentesis with ultrasound. What does the nurse explain to the client
that amniocentesis can determine? Select all that apply.
a. What the eye color of the baby will be
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,b. Whether the fetal lungs are mature enough to support respiration outside of the womb
c. What type of facial features the fetus will have
d. The amniotic fluid can be used for genetic testing
e. How much the fetus will weigh at birth
b. Whether the fetal lungs are mature enough to support respiration outside of the womb
d. The amniotic fluid can be used for genetic testing
A woman has just learned that she is pregnant and would like to know how soon she can find
out via ultrasound the sex of her fetus. The nurse should respond with which of the following?
a. At about 6 months
b. Fetal gender can only be determined by analysis of maternal serum.
c. At about 2 months
d. At about 4 months
d. At about 4 months
The nurse is caring for a multigravid client at 38 weeks' gestation and is reviewing diagnostic
studies that estimate 1 liter of amniotic fluid surrounding the fetus. The nonstress test is
reactive with a heart rate of 142 beats/min and moderate variability. The client verbalizes lower
back discomfort. Which interpretation of the fetal status will the nurse make?
a. There is limited amniotic fluid, but the fetal heart is not compromised.
b. The mother is experiencing back labor pains, causing a rupture of membranes.
c. The fetal heart is stressed, with an elevated heart rate and nonstress test reactivity.
3|Page
, d. There is no concerning data. Fetal heart rate is normal and kidney function exists.
d. There is no concerning data. Fetal heart rate is normal and kidney function exists.
The client is having her blood drawn for a Triple or Quad screen. For what does this test screen?
Select all that apply.
a. Neural tube defects
b. Pre-eclampsia
c. Gestational diabetes
d. Rubella
e. Down syndrome
a. Neural tube defects
e. Down syndrome
Maternal blood is drawn between 15 and 20 weeks and is used in screening for Down syndrome
and other trisomies, neural tube defects, gastroschisis, and other fetal abnormalities.
When assessing fetal heart rate patterns, which finding would alert the nurse to a possible
problem?
a. Variable decelerations
b. Accelerations
c. Prolonged decelerations
d. Early decelerations
4|Page
BENCHMARK FINAL SPRING EXAMINATION-2026
Paper 2|Questions and Verified Correct Answers
|Higher Tier Exam
Pass Guaranteed | Grade A+
A pregnant woman undergoing amniocentesis asks her nurse why the baby needs this fluid.
What would be an accurate response from the nurse?
a. "Amniotic fluid cushions your baby to prevent injury."
b. "Amniotic fluid supplies the food your baby needs to grow."
c. "Amniotic fluid keeps the fetus from moving freely inside it to prevent injury."
d. "Amniotic fluid provides fetal blood circulation."
a. "Amniotic fluid cushions your baby to prevent injury."
A nonstress test is an assessment test based on which phenomenon?
a. Fetal heart rate slows in response to a uterine contraction.
b. Fetal movement causes an increase in maternal heart rate.
c. Fetal heart sounds increase in connection with fetal movement.
d. Braxton-Hicks contractions cause fetal heart-rate alterations.
c. Fetal heart sounds increase in connection with fetal movement.
1|Page
,The nurse is evaluating the fetal heart rate rhythm strip and determines that the amplitude
varies with a rate 15 to 20 beats/min. What does this assessment finding indicate to the nurse
about variability?
a. Variability is absent.
b. Variability is normal.
c. Variability is minimal.
d. Variability is marked.
b. Variability is normal.
If a fetus were not receiving enough oxygen during labor because of uteroplacental
insufficiency, which pattern would the nurse anticipate seeing on the monitor?
a. Fetal baseline rate increasing at least 5 mm Hg with contractions
b. Variable decelerations, too unpredictable to count
c. A shallow deceleration occurring with the beginning of contractions
d. Fetal heart rate declining late with contractions and remaining depressed
d. Fetal heart rate declining late with contractions and remaining depressed
A client is to have an amniocentesis with ultrasound. What does the nurse explain to the client
that amniocentesis can determine? Select all that apply.
a. What the eye color of the baby will be
2|Page
,b. Whether the fetal lungs are mature enough to support respiration outside of the womb
c. What type of facial features the fetus will have
d. The amniotic fluid can be used for genetic testing
e. How much the fetus will weigh at birth
b. Whether the fetal lungs are mature enough to support respiration outside of the womb
d. The amniotic fluid can be used for genetic testing
A woman has just learned that she is pregnant and would like to know how soon she can find
out via ultrasound the sex of her fetus. The nurse should respond with which of the following?
a. At about 6 months
b. Fetal gender can only be determined by analysis of maternal serum.
c. At about 2 months
d. At about 4 months
d. At about 4 months
The nurse is caring for a multigravid client at 38 weeks' gestation and is reviewing diagnostic
studies that estimate 1 liter of amniotic fluid surrounding the fetus. The nonstress test is
reactive with a heart rate of 142 beats/min and moderate variability. The client verbalizes lower
back discomfort. Which interpretation of the fetal status will the nurse make?
a. There is limited amniotic fluid, but the fetal heart is not compromised.
b. The mother is experiencing back labor pains, causing a rupture of membranes.
c. The fetal heart is stressed, with an elevated heart rate and nonstress test reactivity.
3|Page
, d. There is no concerning data. Fetal heart rate is normal and kidney function exists.
d. There is no concerning data. Fetal heart rate is normal and kidney function exists.
The client is having her blood drawn for a Triple or Quad screen. For what does this test screen?
Select all that apply.
a. Neural tube defects
b. Pre-eclampsia
c. Gestational diabetes
d. Rubella
e. Down syndrome
a. Neural tube defects
e. Down syndrome
Maternal blood is drawn between 15 and 20 weeks and is used in screening for Down syndrome
and other trisomies, neural tube defects, gastroschisis, and other fetal abnormalities.
When assessing fetal heart rate patterns, which finding would alert the nurse to a possible
problem?
a. Variable decelerations
b. Accelerations
c. Prolonged decelerations
d. Early decelerations
4|Page
