Electronic Fetal Monitoring Practice
Questions
A nurse is explaining to a pregnant patient the purpose of electronic fetal monitoring. Which of the
following statements by the nurse is the most accurate way to describe the purpose of EFM?
a. "EFM is a diagnostic procedure that monitors your baby's heart rate or FHR and your uterine
contractions.
b. "EFM is a screening procedure that monitors your baby's heart rate or FHR and your uterine
contractions."
c."EFM is a screening procedure that only monitors your baby's heart rate or FHR."
d. "EFM is a diagnostic procedure that only monitors the frequency, duration, and intensity of your
uterine contractions." Ans- b. "EFM is a screening procedure that monitors your baby's heart rate or FHR
and your uterine contractions."
The nurse measures fetal well being during labor by paying attention to:
a. the response of the FHR to uterine contractions
b. mom's complaint of pain during the labor
c. the FHR only
d. the frequency, duration, and intensity of the mother's uterine contractions only Ans- a. the response
of the FHR to uterine contractions
A nursing student explains during her presentation that the 5 factors for adequate fetal oxygenation
include:
1. normal maternal __________ _________and volume to the placenta
2. normal ___________ ___________in the maternal blood
3. adequate exchange of ___________ and CO2 in the placenta
4. an open ___________path between the placenta and the fetus through vessels in the umbillical cord
5. normal fetal circulatory and ____________ -carry functions Ans- 1. normal maternal blood flow and
volume to placenta
2. normal oxygen saturation in the maternal blood
,3. adequate exchange of oxygen and CO2 in the palcenta
4. an open circulatory path between the placenta and the fetus through vessels in the umbillical cord
5. normal fetal circulatory and oxygen-carrying functions
While monitoring a baby's fetal well being using EFM, the nurse recognizes that the baby's baseline fetal
heart rate is identified as the:
a. average rate of a 30 minute segment that excludes periodic or episodic changes
b. average rate of a 10 minute segment that excludes periodic or episodic changes
c. average rate of a 20 minute segment that does not include periodic or episodic changes Ans- b.
average rate of a 10 minute segment that excludes periodic or episodic changes
A nurse determines that term baby's baseline fetal heart rate is 140 beats per minute. A nurse explains
to her patient that this fetal heart rate is:
a. abnormal because it is not in the normal range of 90-100 bears perm minute for a term or post term
fetus
b. normal because it is in the range of 110-160 bpm for a term or post term fetus
c. abnormal because it is not in the normal range of 160-200 bpm for a term or post term fetus Ans- b.
normal because it is in the range of 110-160 bpm for a term or post term fetus
The nurse documents that the baseline heart rate for a fetus is between 120-160 beats per minute.
Based on this finding, the nurse can determine that the fetus is:
a. post term
b. term
c. premature
d. both a and b Ans- c. premature
While keeping track of a patient's uterine contractions, the nurse documents that the measurements of
the beginning of one contraction to the beginning of the next is occurring too frequently at quicker than
every 2 minutes. The nurse is measuring which of the following aspects of a uterine contraction?
a. duration
b. frequency
, c. intensity
d. resting tone or interval Ans- b. frequency
One of the maternal nurses explains to a nursing student that the duration of a contraction, which is
measured from the beginning to the end of one contraction, usually lasts:
a. about 50 seconds or less
b. about 60 seconds, NO longer than 90 seconds
c. about 90 seconds or more
d. about 40 to 50 seconds Ans- b. about 60 seconds, NO longer than 90 seconds
A nurse is assessing the relaxation or intrauterine pressures between contractions on a EFM strip. The
nurse is assessing which of the following components of the uterine contractions?
a. duration
b. frequency
c. intensity
d. resting tone or interval Ans- d. resting tone or interval
Which of the following is the priority nursing action of a nurse preparing to begin EFM on a patient?
a. place the tocotransducer on the patient's abdomen where the fundus is
b. explain the purpose of the EFM and the procedure of EFM Placement to the patient
c. begin using the ultrasound transducer to find the fetal heart rate
d. none of the above Ans- b. explain the purpose of the EFM and the procedure of EFM Placement to the
patient
The nurse is observing the peak of a contraction on a EFM strip and watching as a mother,who has a
tocotransducer across her abdomen, scream out that she is in extreme pain. The nurse knows that she is
observing which aspect of the uterine contraction:
a. frequency
Questions
A nurse is explaining to a pregnant patient the purpose of electronic fetal monitoring. Which of the
following statements by the nurse is the most accurate way to describe the purpose of EFM?
a. "EFM is a diagnostic procedure that monitors your baby's heart rate or FHR and your uterine
contractions.
b. "EFM is a screening procedure that monitors your baby's heart rate or FHR and your uterine
contractions."
c."EFM is a screening procedure that only monitors your baby's heart rate or FHR."
d. "EFM is a diagnostic procedure that only monitors the frequency, duration, and intensity of your
uterine contractions." Ans- b. "EFM is a screening procedure that monitors your baby's heart rate or FHR
and your uterine contractions."
The nurse measures fetal well being during labor by paying attention to:
a. the response of the FHR to uterine contractions
b. mom's complaint of pain during the labor
c. the FHR only
d. the frequency, duration, and intensity of the mother's uterine contractions only Ans- a. the response
of the FHR to uterine contractions
A nursing student explains during her presentation that the 5 factors for adequate fetal oxygenation
include:
1. normal maternal __________ _________and volume to the placenta
2. normal ___________ ___________in the maternal blood
3. adequate exchange of ___________ and CO2 in the placenta
4. an open ___________path between the placenta and the fetus through vessels in the umbillical cord
5. normal fetal circulatory and ____________ -carry functions Ans- 1. normal maternal blood flow and
volume to placenta
2. normal oxygen saturation in the maternal blood
,3. adequate exchange of oxygen and CO2 in the palcenta
4. an open circulatory path between the placenta and the fetus through vessels in the umbillical cord
5. normal fetal circulatory and oxygen-carrying functions
While monitoring a baby's fetal well being using EFM, the nurse recognizes that the baby's baseline fetal
heart rate is identified as the:
a. average rate of a 30 minute segment that excludes periodic or episodic changes
b. average rate of a 10 minute segment that excludes periodic or episodic changes
c. average rate of a 20 minute segment that does not include periodic or episodic changes Ans- b.
average rate of a 10 minute segment that excludes periodic or episodic changes
A nurse determines that term baby's baseline fetal heart rate is 140 beats per minute. A nurse explains
to her patient that this fetal heart rate is:
a. abnormal because it is not in the normal range of 90-100 bears perm minute for a term or post term
fetus
b. normal because it is in the range of 110-160 bpm for a term or post term fetus
c. abnormal because it is not in the normal range of 160-200 bpm for a term or post term fetus Ans- b.
normal because it is in the range of 110-160 bpm for a term or post term fetus
The nurse documents that the baseline heart rate for a fetus is between 120-160 beats per minute.
Based on this finding, the nurse can determine that the fetus is:
a. post term
b. term
c. premature
d. both a and b Ans- c. premature
While keeping track of a patient's uterine contractions, the nurse documents that the measurements of
the beginning of one contraction to the beginning of the next is occurring too frequently at quicker than
every 2 minutes. The nurse is measuring which of the following aspects of a uterine contraction?
a. duration
b. frequency
, c. intensity
d. resting tone or interval Ans- b. frequency
One of the maternal nurses explains to a nursing student that the duration of a contraction, which is
measured from the beginning to the end of one contraction, usually lasts:
a. about 50 seconds or less
b. about 60 seconds, NO longer than 90 seconds
c. about 90 seconds or more
d. about 40 to 50 seconds Ans- b. about 60 seconds, NO longer than 90 seconds
A nurse is assessing the relaxation or intrauterine pressures between contractions on a EFM strip. The
nurse is assessing which of the following components of the uterine contractions?
a. duration
b. frequency
c. intensity
d. resting tone or interval Ans- d. resting tone or interval
Which of the following is the priority nursing action of a nurse preparing to begin EFM on a patient?
a. place the tocotransducer on the patient's abdomen where the fundus is
b. explain the purpose of the EFM and the procedure of EFM Placement to the patient
c. begin using the ultrasound transducer to find the fetal heart rate
d. none of the above Ans- b. explain the purpose of the EFM and the procedure of EFM Placement to the
patient
The nurse is observing the peak of a contraction on a EFM strip and watching as a mother,who has a
tocotransducer across her abdomen, scream out that she is in extreme pain. The nurse knows that she is
observing which aspect of the uterine contraction:
a. frequency
