Page 1 of 32
RN HESI Maternity EXAM (updated 2026) QUESTIONS AND
RATIONALE EXAM COMPREHENSIVE 2026 QUESTIONS
EXAM LATEST VERSION SOLVED QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
VERIFIED 100 %
The nurse places one hand above the symphysis while massaging the fundus
of a multiparous client
whose uterine tone is boggy 15 minutes after delivering a 7 pound 10 ounce
infant. Which information
should the nurse provide the client about this finding?
Both the lower uterine segment and the fundus must be massaged.
The nurse is preparing to administer methylergonovine maleate (Methergine)
to a postpartum client. Based on what assessment finding should the nurse
withhold the drug?
A. Respiratory rate of 22 breaths/min
B. A large amount of lochia rubra
C. Blood pressure 149/90
D. Positive Homan's sign
C. Blood pressure 149/90
At 6-weeks gestation, the rubella titer of a client indicates she is non-immune.
When is the best time
to administer a rubella vaccine to this client?
Early postpartum, within 72 hours of delivery.
A client receiving oxytocin (Pitocin) to augment early labor. Which
assessment is most important for the nurse to obtain each time the infusion
rate
is increased?
A. Pain level
B. Blood pressure
, Page 2 of 32
C. Infusion site
D. Contraction pattern
D. Contraction pattern.
A client delivers a viable infant , but begins to have excessive uncontrolled
vaginal .. notifying the healthcare provider of the clients condition ,What
information is most important
A. Maternal blood pressure
B. Maternal apical pulse
C. Time pitocin infusion completed
D. Total amount of pitocin infused
A. Maternal blood pressure.
A neonate who has congenital adrenal hypoplasia (CAH) presents with
ambiguous genitalia. What is the primary nursing consideration when
supporting the parents of a child with this anomaly?
A. Discuss the need for cortisol and aldosterone replacement therapy after
discharge
B. Support the parents in their decision to assign sex of their child according
to their preference
C. Offer information about ultrasonography and genotyping to determine sex
assignment
D. Explain that corrective surgical procedures consistent with sex
assignment can be delayed
C. Offer information about ultrasonography and genotyping to determine sex
assignment
During a 26-week gestation prenatal exam, a client reports occasional
dizziness and lightheadness
when she is lying down. What intervention is best for the nurse to recommend
to this client.
Elevate the head with two pillows while sleeping.
The current vital signs for a primipara who delivered vaginally during the
previous shift are: temperature 100.4 F, heart rate 58 beats/minute, respiratory
rate 16 breaths/minute, and blood pressure 130/74. What action should the
nurse implement?
Document the vital signs in the record.
, Page 3 of 32
A 4-day postpartum client calls the clinic and reports that her nipples are so
sore that she does not know if she can continue to breastfeed her infant. What
instruction is best for the nurse to provide?
Apply hot packs just before each feeding.
A loading dose of terbutaline (Bretine) 250 mcg IV is prescribed for a client in
preterm labor. Brethine 20 mg is added to 1000 ml D5W. How many ml of the
solution should the nurse administer? (Enter numeric value only)
13
A newborn with myelomeningocele is admitted to the neonatal intensive care
unit. Which preoperative nursing intervention should the nurse implement
first?
Place the infant on the abdomen to protect the sac.
The mother of a 5-week-old tells the nurse that her baby has acne and asks if
she can use her teenage son's acne cream, benzoyl peroxide, on the baby's
face. Which answer should the nurse to provide?
" Your baby may be showing signs of a systemic disease and needs to be seen by a
healthcare
provider"
An infant is placed in a radiant warmer immediately after birth. At one hour of
age, the nurse finds the infant to be jittery, tachypneic, and hypotonic. What is
the first action that the nurse should take?
A. Notify the health care provider immediately
B. Increase the temperature of the radiant warmer
C. Assess infant heart rateD.
Determine the infants blood sugar level
D. Determine the infant's blood sugar level.
A 36-week primigravida is admitted to labor and delivery with severe
abdominal pain and bright red vaginal bleeding. Her abdomen is rigid and
tender to touch. The fetal heart rate FHR) is 90 beats/minute, and the maternal
heart rate is 120 beats/minute. What action should the nurse implement first?
A. Alert the neonatal team and prepare for neonatal resuscitation
B. Notify the healthcare provider from the client's bedside
C. Obtain written consent for an emergency cesarean section
D. Draw a blood sample for stat hemoglobin and hematocrit
, Page 4 of 32
B. Notify the healthcare provider from the client's bedside
A laboring client's membranes rupture spontaneously. The nurse notices that
the amniotic fluid is greenish-brown. What intervention should the nurse
implement first?
A. Turn the client to her left side
B. Contact the healthcare provider
C. Assess the fetal heart rate
D. Check the cervical dilation
C. Assess the fetal heart rate
The nurse weighs a 6-month-old infant during a well-baby check-up and
determines that the baby's weight has triple compared to the birth weight of 7
pounds 8 ounces. The mother asks if the baby is gaining enough weight. What
response should the nurse offer?
"What food does your baby usually eat in a normal day?"
Artificial rupture of the membranes of a laboring client reveals meconium-
stained fluid. What intervention has the greatest priority?
Have a meconium aspirator available at delivery.
A client whose labor is being augmented with an oxytocin (Pitocin) infusion
requests an epidural for pain control. Findings of the last vaginal exam,
performed 1 hour ago, were 3 cm cervical dilatation, 60% effacement, and a -2
station. What action should the nurse implement first?
A. Decrease the oxytocin infusion rate
B. Determine current cervical dilation
C. Request placement of the epidural
D. Give a bolus of intravenous fluids
B. Determine current cervical dilation
A client with gestational diabetes is undergoing a non-stress test at 34 weeks
gestation. Fetal heart beat is 144 beats / min. The client is instructed to mark
the fetal monitor paper by pressing each time the baby moves. After 20 mins
the nurse evaluates the fetal monitor strip
A. The mother perceives and marks at least four fetal movements
B. Fetal movements must be elicited with a vibroacoustic stimulator
C. Two fetal heart accelerations of 15 beats/ min x 15 seconds are recorded
D. No FHR late decelerations occur in response to fetal movement
RN HESI Maternity EXAM (updated 2026) QUESTIONS AND
RATIONALE EXAM COMPREHENSIVE 2026 QUESTIONS
EXAM LATEST VERSION SOLVED QUESTIONS & ANSWERS
VERIFIED 100 %
The nurse places one hand above the symphysis while massaging the fundus
of a multiparous client
whose uterine tone is boggy 15 minutes after delivering a 7 pound 10 ounce
infant. Which information
should the nurse provide the client about this finding?
Both the lower uterine segment and the fundus must be massaged.
The nurse is preparing to administer methylergonovine maleate (Methergine)
to a postpartum client. Based on what assessment finding should the nurse
withhold the drug?
A. Respiratory rate of 22 breaths/min
B. A large amount of lochia rubra
C. Blood pressure 149/90
D. Positive Homan's sign
C. Blood pressure 149/90
At 6-weeks gestation, the rubella titer of a client indicates she is non-immune.
When is the best time
to administer a rubella vaccine to this client?
Early postpartum, within 72 hours of delivery.
A client receiving oxytocin (Pitocin) to augment early labor. Which
assessment is most important for the nurse to obtain each time the infusion
rate
is increased?
A. Pain level
B. Blood pressure
, Page 2 of 32
C. Infusion site
D. Contraction pattern
D. Contraction pattern.
A client delivers a viable infant , but begins to have excessive uncontrolled
vaginal .. notifying the healthcare provider of the clients condition ,What
information is most important
A. Maternal blood pressure
B. Maternal apical pulse
C. Time pitocin infusion completed
D. Total amount of pitocin infused
A. Maternal blood pressure.
A neonate who has congenital adrenal hypoplasia (CAH) presents with
ambiguous genitalia. What is the primary nursing consideration when
supporting the parents of a child with this anomaly?
A. Discuss the need for cortisol and aldosterone replacement therapy after
discharge
B. Support the parents in their decision to assign sex of their child according
to their preference
C. Offer information about ultrasonography and genotyping to determine sex
assignment
D. Explain that corrective surgical procedures consistent with sex
assignment can be delayed
C. Offer information about ultrasonography and genotyping to determine sex
assignment
During a 26-week gestation prenatal exam, a client reports occasional
dizziness and lightheadness
when she is lying down. What intervention is best for the nurse to recommend
to this client.
Elevate the head with two pillows while sleeping.
The current vital signs for a primipara who delivered vaginally during the
previous shift are: temperature 100.4 F, heart rate 58 beats/minute, respiratory
rate 16 breaths/minute, and blood pressure 130/74. What action should the
nurse implement?
Document the vital signs in the record.
, Page 3 of 32
A 4-day postpartum client calls the clinic and reports that her nipples are so
sore that she does not know if she can continue to breastfeed her infant. What
instruction is best for the nurse to provide?
Apply hot packs just before each feeding.
A loading dose of terbutaline (Bretine) 250 mcg IV is prescribed for a client in
preterm labor. Brethine 20 mg is added to 1000 ml D5W. How many ml of the
solution should the nurse administer? (Enter numeric value only)
13
A newborn with myelomeningocele is admitted to the neonatal intensive care
unit. Which preoperative nursing intervention should the nurse implement
first?
Place the infant on the abdomen to protect the sac.
The mother of a 5-week-old tells the nurse that her baby has acne and asks if
she can use her teenage son's acne cream, benzoyl peroxide, on the baby's
face. Which answer should the nurse to provide?
" Your baby may be showing signs of a systemic disease and needs to be seen by a
healthcare
provider"
An infant is placed in a radiant warmer immediately after birth. At one hour of
age, the nurse finds the infant to be jittery, tachypneic, and hypotonic. What is
the first action that the nurse should take?
A. Notify the health care provider immediately
B. Increase the temperature of the radiant warmer
C. Assess infant heart rateD.
Determine the infants blood sugar level
D. Determine the infant's blood sugar level.
A 36-week primigravida is admitted to labor and delivery with severe
abdominal pain and bright red vaginal bleeding. Her abdomen is rigid and
tender to touch. The fetal heart rate FHR) is 90 beats/minute, and the maternal
heart rate is 120 beats/minute. What action should the nurse implement first?
A. Alert the neonatal team and prepare for neonatal resuscitation
B. Notify the healthcare provider from the client's bedside
C. Obtain written consent for an emergency cesarean section
D. Draw a blood sample for stat hemoglobin and hematocrit
, Page 4 of 32
B. Notify the healthcare provider from the client's bedside
A laboring client's membranes rupture spontaneously. The nurse notices that
the amniotic fluid is greenish-brown. What intervention should the nurse
implement first?
A. Turn the client to her left side
B. Contact the healthcare provider
C. Assess the fetal heart rate
D. Check the cervical dilation
C. Assess the fetal heart rate
The nurse weighs a 6-month-old infant during a well-baby check-up and
determines that the baby's weight has triple compared to the birth weight of 7
pounds 8 ounces. The mother asks if the baby is gaining enough weight. What
response should the nurse offer?
"What food does your baby usually eat in a normal day?"
Artificial rupture of the membranes of a laboring client reveals meconium-
stained fluid. What intervention has the greatest priority?
Have a meconium aspirator available at delivery.
A client whose labor is being augmented with an oxytocin (Pitocin) infusion
requests an epidural for pain control. Findings of the last vaginal exam,
performed 1 hour ago, were 3 cm cervical dilatation, 60% effacement, and a -2
station. What action should the nurse implement first?
A. Decrease the oxytocin infusion rate
B. Determine current cervical dilation
C. Request placement of the epidural
D. Give a bolus of intravenous fluids
B. Determine current cervical dilation
A client with gestational diabetes is undergoing a non-stress test at 34 weeks
gestation. Fetal heart beat is 144 beats / min. The client is instructed to mark
the fetal monitor paper by pressing each time the baby moves. After 20 mins
the nurse evaluates the fetal monitor strip
A. The mother perceives and marks at least four fetal movements
B. Fetal movements must be elicited with a vibroacoustic stimulator
C. Two fetal heart accelerations of 15 beats/ min x 15 seconds are recorded
D. No FHR late decelerations occur in response to fetal movement
