Page 1 of 292
NCLEX Postpartum Exam A & B ACTUAL EXAM ALL
600 QUESTIONS and CORRECT ANSWERS LATEST
UPDATE THIS YEAR
QUESTION: A nurse is preparing to perform a fundal assessment on a postpartum client. The
initial nursing action in performing this assessment is which of the following?
A. Ask the client to turn on her side.
B. Ask the client to lie flat on her back with the knees and legs flat and straight.
C. Ask the mother to urinate and empty her bladder.
D. Massage the fundus gently before determining the level of the fundus. - ANSWER-C. Ask the
mother to urinate and empty her bladder.
Before starting the fundal assessment, the nurse should ask the mother to empty her bladder
so that an accurate assessment can be done. The postpartum recovery period covers the time
period from birth until approximately six to eight weeks after delivery. This is a time of healing
and rejuvenation as the mother's body returns to prepregnancy states.
1
, Page 2 of 292
QUESTION: The nurse is assessing the lochia on a 1 day PP patient. The nurse notes that the
lochia is red and has a foul-smelling odor. The nurse determines that this assessment finding is:
A. Normal.
B. Indicates the presence of infection.
C. Indicates the need for increasing oral fluids.
D. Indicates the need for increasing ambulation. - ANSWER-B. Indicates the presence of
infection.
Lochia, the discharge present after birth, is red for the first 1 to 3 days and gradually decreases
in amount. Foul-smelling or purulent lochia usually indicates infection, and these findings are
not normal. The presence of an offensive odor or large pieces of tissue or blood clots in lochia
or the absence of lochia might be a sign of infection.
QUESTION: When performing a PP assessment on a client, the nurse notes the presence of clots
in the lochia. The nurse examines the clots and notes that they are larger than 1 cm. Which of
the following nursing actions is most appropriate?
A. Document the findings.
2
, Page 3 of 292
B. Notify the physician.
C. Reassess the client in 2 hours.
D. Encourage increased intake of fluids. - ANSWER-B. Notify the physician.
Normally, one may find a few small clots in the first 1 to 2 days after birth from pooling of blood
in the vagina. Clots larger than 1 cm are considered abnormal. The cause of these clots, such as
uterine atony or retained placental fragments, needs to be determined and treated to prevent
further blood loss.
QUESTION: A nurse in a PP unit is instructing a mother regarding lochia and the amount of
expected lochia drainage. The nurse instructs the mother that the normal amount of lochia may
vary but should never exceed the need for:
A. One peripad per day.
B. Two peripads per day.
C. Three peripads per day.
D. Eight peripads per day. - ANSWER-D. Eight peripads per day.
The normal amount of lochia may vary with the individual but should never exceed 4 to 8
peripads per day. The average number of peripads is 6 per day. Postpartum hemorrhage is
3
, Page 4 of 292
defined as excessive blood loss during or after the third stage of labor. The average blood loss is
500 mL at vaginal delivery and 1000 mL at cesarean delivery.
Q; A postpartum nurse is preparing to care for a woman who has just delivered a healthy
newborn infant. In the immediate postpartum period the nurse plans to take the woman's vital
signs:
A. Every 30 minutes during the first hour and then every hour for the next two hours.
B. Every 15 minutes during the first hour and then every 30 minutes for the next two hours.
C. Every hour for the first 2 hours and then every 4 hours.
D. Every 5 minutes for the first 30 minutes and then every hour for the next 4 hours. - ANSWER-
B. Every 15 minutes during the first hour and then every 30 minutes for the next two hours.
The initial or acute period involves the first 6-12 hours postpartum. This is a time of rapid
change with a potential for immediate crises such as postpartum hemorrhage, uterine
inversion, amniotic fluid embolism, and eclampsia.
4
NCLEX Postpartum Exam A & B ACTUAL EXAM ALL
600 QUESTIONS and CORRECT ANSWERS LATEST
UPDATE THIS YEAR
QUESTION: A nurse is preparing to perform a fundal assessment on a postpartum client. The
initial nursing action in performing this assessment is which of the following?
A. Ask the client to turn on her side.
B. Ask the client to lie flat on her back with the knees and legs flat and straight.
C. Ask the mother to urinate and empty her bladder.
D. Massage the fundus gently before determining the level of the fundus. - ANSWER-C. Ask the
mother to urinate and empty her bladder.
Before starting the fundal assessment, the nurse should ask the mother to empty her bladder
so that an accurate assessment can be done. The postpartum recovery period covers the time
period from birth until approximately six to eight weeks after delivery. This is a time of healing
and rejuvenation as the mother's body returns to prepregnancy states.
1
, Page 2 of 292
QUESTION: The nurse is assessing the lochia on a 1 day PP patient. The nurse notes that the
lochia is red and has a foul-smelling odor. The nurse determines that this assessment finding is:
A. Normal.
B. Indicates the presence of infection.
C. Indicates the need for increasing oral fluids.
D. Indicates the need for increasing ambulation. - ANSWER-B. Indicates the presence of
infection.
Lochia, the discharge present after birth, is red for the first 1 to 3 days and gradually decreases
in amount. Foul-smelling or purulent lochia usually indicates infection, and these findings are
not normal. The presence of an offensive odor or large pieces of tissue or blood clots in lochia
or the absence of lochia might be a sign of infection.
QUESTION: When performing a PP assessment on a client, the nurse notes the presence of clots
in the lochia. The nurse examines the clots and notes that they are larger than 1 cm. Which of
the following nursing actions is most appropriate?
A. Document the findings.
2
, Page 3 of 292
B. Notify the physician.
C. Reassess the client in 2 hours.
D. Encourage increased intake of fluids. - ANSWER-B. Notify the physician.
Normally, one may find a few small clots in the first 1 to 2 days after birth from pooling of blood
in the vagina. Clots larger than 1 cm are considered abnormal. The cause of these clots, such as
uterine atony or retained placental fragments, needs to be determined and treated to prevent
further blood loss.
QUESTION: A nurse in a PP unit is instructing a mother regarding lochia and the amount of
expected lochia drainage. The nurse instructs the mother that the normal amount of lochia may
vary but should never exceed the need for:
A. One peripad per day.
B. Two peripads per day.
C. Three peripads per day.
D. Eight peripads per day. - ANSWER-D. Eight peripads per day.
The normal amount of lochia may vary with the individual but should never exceed 4 to 8
peripads per day. The average number of peripads is 6 per day. Postpartum hemorrhage is
3
, Page 4 of 292
defined as excessive blood loss during or after the third stage of labor. The average blood loss is
500 mL at vaginal delivery and 1000 mL at cesarean delivery.
Q; A postpartum nurse is preparing to care for a woman who has just delivered a healthy
newborn infant. In the immediate postpartum period the nurse plans to take the woman's vital
signs:
A. Every 30 minutes during the first hour and then every hour for the next two hours.
B. Every 15 minutes during the first hour and then every 30 minutes for the next two hours.
C. Every hour for the first 2 hours and then every 4 hours.
D. Every 5 minutes for the first 30 minutes and then every hour for the next 4 hours. - ANSWER-
B. Every 15 minutes during the first hour and then every 30 minutes for the next two hours.
The initial or acute period involves the first 6-12 hours postpartum. This is a time of rapid
change with a potential for immediate crises such as postpartum hemorrhage, uterine
inversion, amniotic fluid embolism, and eclampsia.
4
