M/N - Week 3 - Durham/Chapman Ch. 8 Davis NCLEX Practice Q's - Exam
1. A nurse is caring for a patient who is in the active phase of the first stage
of labor. How often should the nurse monitor fetal heart rate and
contractions during this phase? 1. Every 5 to 10 minutes
2. Every 15 to 20 minutes
3. Every 30 to 40 minutes
4. Every 45 to 60 minutes: 2. Every 15 to 20 minutes
The nurse should monitor fetal heart rate and contractions every 15 to 20 minutes
in the active phase of the first stage of labor.
2. A woman in labor is dilated 9 cm, effaced 100%, and has contractions that
occur almost every minute and last 90 seconds. She is exhausted and has
trouble concentrating. The nurse recognizes that this woman is in which
phase of the first stage of labor?
1. Latent phase
2. Active phase
3. Transitional phase
4. Expulsive phase: 2. Active phase
The latent phase is the early and slower part of labor with an average length of 9
hours for primiparous and 5 hours for multiparous women. Women in this phase
are talkative and able to relax with the contractions. Characteristics of this phase
are cervical dilation from 0 to 3 cm with effacement from 0% to 40%, along with
contractions occurring every 5 to 10 minutes, lasting 30 to 45 seconds, and being
of mild intensity. Women often describe these contractions as feeling like strong
menstrual cramps.
The active phase is characterized by cervical dilation of 4 to 7 cm with effacement
of 40% to 80%. Contractions become more intense, occurring every 2 to 5 minutes
with a duration of 45 to 60 seconds. The woman tends to be more serious and
fatigued in this phase and turns inward.
The transition phase is characterized by cervical dilation of 8 to 10 cm with complete
(100%) effacement. Contractions are intense, occur every 1 to 2 minutes, and last
60 to 90 seconds. It is the shortest but most difficult phase of the first stage of labor,
and the woman is typically exhausted and has trouble concentrating.
, M/N - Week 3 - Durham/Chapman Ch. 8 Davis NCLEX Practice Q's - Exam
Expulsive refers to the second stage of labor, not a phase of the first. It involves the
delivery of the baby.
3. Early in labor, a patient tells the nurse that she had an awful experience
with pain in her last pregnancy and would like strongest pain relief option
available for a vaginal birth. Which of the following should the nurse suggest
to the patient?
1. Parenteral opioids
2. Nitrous oxide
3. Epidural anesthesia
4. General anesthesia: 3. Epidural anesthesia
Parenteral opioids blunt but do not eliminate pain, and therefore are not the
strongest form of pain relief in labor and delivery.
Nitrous oxide is a combination of oxygen and nitrous oxide gas that is self-
administered by the laboring woman using a mouth tube or face mask, when she
determines that she needs it. As an analgesic, it relieves pain, but does not block it
as effectively as an epidural.
Epidural anesthesia involves placement of a very small catheter and injection of
local anesthesia and/or analgesia between the fourth and fifth vertebrae into the
epidural space. It has the potential of 100% blockage of pain.
General anesthesia is not typically used in vaginal births.
4. 4.Early in labor, a patient tells the nurse that she would like an unmedicated
birth, in general, but would like some pain relief that is fast-acting, that she
can administer hersef, and that will not interfere with the normal physiology
and progress of labor. Which of the following should the nurse suggest to the
patient?
1. Parenteral opioids
2. Nitrous oxide
3. Epidural anesthesia
4. General anesthesia: 1. Parenteral opioids
1. A nurse is caring for a patient who is in the active phase of the first stage
of labor. How often should the nurse monitor fetal heart rate and
contractions during this phase? 1. Every 5 to 10 minutes
2. Every 15 to 20 minutes
3. Every 30 to 40 minutes
4. Every 45 to 60 minutes: 2. Every 15 to 20 minutes
The nurse should monitor fetal heart rate and contractions every 15 to 20 minutes
in the active phase of the first stage of labor.
2. A woman in labor is dilated 9 cm, effaced 100%, and has contractions that
occur almost every minute and last 90 seconds. She is exhausted and has
trouble concentrating. The nurse recognizes that this woman is in which
phase of the first stage of labor?
1. Latent phase
2. Active phase
3. Transitional phase
4. Expulsive phase: 2. Active phase
The latent phase is the early and slower part of labor with an average length of 9
hours for primiparous and 5 hours for multiparous women. Women in this phase
are talkative and able to relax with the contractions. Characteristics of this phase
are cervical dilation from 0 to 3 cm with effacement from 0% to 40%, along with
contractions occurring every 5 to 10 minutes, lasting 30 to 45 seconds, and being
of mild intensity. Women often describe these contractions as feeling like strong
menstrual cramps.
The active phase is characterized by cervical dilation of 4 to 7 cm with effacement
of 40% to 80%. Contractions become more intense, occurring every 2 to 5 minutes
with a duration of 45 to 60 seconds. The woman tends to be more serious and
fatigued in this phase and turns inward.
The transition phase is characterized by cervical dilation of 8 to 10 cm with complete
(100%) effacement. Contractions are intense, occur every 1 to 2 minutes, and last
60 to 90 seconds. It is the shortest but most difficult phase of the first stage of labor,
and the woman is typically exhausted and has trouble concentrating.
, M/N - Week 3 - Durham/Chapman Ch. 8 Davis NCLEX Practice Q's - Exam
Expulsive refers to the second stage of labor, not a phase of the first. It involves the
delivery of the baby.
3. Early in labor, a patient tells the nurse that she had an awful experience
with pain in her last pregnancy and would like strongest pain relief option
available for a vaginal birth. Which of the following should the nurse suggest
to the patient?
1. Parenteral opioids
2. Nitrous oxide
3. Epidural anesthesia
4. General anesthesia: 3. Epidural anesthesia
Parenteral opioids blunt but do not eliminate pain, and therefore are not the
strongest form of pain relief in labor and delivery.
Nitrous oxide is a combination of oxygen and nitrous oxide gas that is self-
administered by the laboring woman using a mouth tube or face mask, when she
determines that she needs it. As an analgesic, it relieves pain, but does not block it
as effectively as an epidural.
Epidural anesthesia involves placement of a very small catheter and injection of
local anesthesia and/or analgesia between the fourth and fifth vertebrae into the
epidural space. It has the potential of 100% blockage of pain.
General anesthesia is not typically used in vaginal births.
4. 4.Early in labor, a patient tells the nurse that she would like an unmedicated
birth, in general, but would like some pain relief that is fast-acting, that she
can administer hersef, and that will not interfere with the normal physiology
and progress of labor. Which of the following should the nurse suggest to the
patient?
1. Parenteral opioids
2. Nitrous oxide
3. Epidural anesthesia
4. General anesthesia: 1. Parenteral opioids
