Nursing Bullets: Medical-Surgical Nursing Part I

The ultimate review for Medical-Surgical Nursing! It contains 350 bits of information regarding the (dreaded but fun to learn) medical–surgical nursing.  This will review you to different concepts behind diagnostic examinations, nursing procedures, and many more!

Relax your mind…ready yourself for an influx of information.

Take a long deep breath.

Are you ready?

Go!

1. Bone scan is done by injecting radioisotope per IV & X-rays are taken.
2. To prevent edema edema on the site of sprain, apply cold compress on the area for the 1st 24 hrs
3. To turn the client after lumbar Laminectomy, use logrolling technique
4. Carpal tunnel syndrome occurs due to the injury of median nerve.
5. Massaging the back of the head is specifically important for the client w/ Crutchfield tong.
6. A 1 yr old child has a fracture of the L femur. He is placed in Bryant’s traction. The reason for elevation of his both legs at 90 deg. angle is his weight isn’t adequate to provide sufficient countertraction, so his entire body must be used.
7. Swing-through crutch gait is done by advancing both crutches together & the client moves both legs past the level of the crutches.
8. The appropriate nursing measure to prevent displacement of the prosthesis after a right total hip replacement for arthritis is to place the patient in the position of right leg abducted.
9. Pain on non-use of joints, subcutaneous nodules & elevated ESR are characteristic manifestations of rheumatoid arthritis.
10. Teaching program of a patient w/ SLE should include emphasis on walking in shaded area.
11. Otosclerosis is characterized by replacement of normal bones by spongy & highly vascularized bones.
12. Use of high pitched voice is inappropriate for the client w/ hearing impairment.
13. Rinne’s test compares air conduction w/ bone conduction.
14. Vertigo is the most characteristic manifestation of Meniere’s disease.
15. Low sodium is the diet for a client w/ Meniere’s disease.
16. A client who had cataract surgery should be told to call his MD if he has eye pain.
17. Risk for Injury takes priority for a client w/ Meniere’s disease.
18. Irrigate the eye w/ sterile saline is the priority nursing intervention when the client has a foreign body protruding from the eye.
19. Snellen’s Test assesses visual acuity.
20. Presbyopia is an eye disorder characterized by lessening of the effective powers of accommodation.
21. The primary problem in cataract is blurring of vision.
22. The primary reason for performing iridectomy after cataract extraction is to prevent secondary glaucoma.
23. In acute glaucoma, the obstruction of the flow of aqueous humor is caused by displacement of the iris.
24. Glaucoma is characterized by irreversible blindness.
25. Hyperopia is corrected by convex lens.
26. Pterygium is caused primarily by exposure to dust.
27. A sterile chronic granulomatous inflammation of the meibomian gland is chalazion.
28. The surgical procedure w/c involves removal of the eyeball is enucleation.
29. Snellen’s Test assesses visual acuity.
30. Presbyopia is an eye disorder characterized by lessening of the effective powers of accommodation.
31. The primary problem in cataract is blurring of vision.
32. The primary reason for performing iridectomy after cataract extraction is to prevent secondary glaucoma.
33. In acute glaucoma, the obstruction of the flow of aqueous humor is caused by displacement of the iris.
34. Glaucoma is characterized by irreversible blindness.
35. Hyperopia is corrected by convex lens.
36. Pterygium is caused primarily by exposure to dust.
37. A sterile chronic granulomatous inflammation of the meibomian gland is chalazion.
38. The surgical procedure w/c involves removal of the eyeball is enucleation.
39. The client is for EEG this morning. Prepare him for the procedure by rendering hair shampoo, excluding caffeine from his meal & instructing the client to remain still during the procedure.
40. If the client w/ increased ICP demonstrates decorticate posturing, observe for flexion of elbows, extension of the knees, plantar flexion of the feet,
41. The nursing diagnosis that would have the highest priority in the care of the client who has become comatose following cerebral hemorrhage is Ineffective Airway Clearance.
42. The initial nursing action—for a client who is in the clonic phase of a tonic-clonic seizure—is to obtain equipment for orotracheal suctioning.
43. The first nursing intervention in a quadriplegic client who is experiencing autonomic dysreflexia is to elevate his head as high as possible.
44. Following surgery for a brain tumor near the hypothalamus, the nursing assessment should include observing for inability to regulate body temp.
45. Post-myelogram (using metrizamide (Amipaque) care includes keeping head elevated for at least 8 hrs.
46. Homonymous hemianopsia is described by a client had CVA & can only see the nasal visual field on one side & the temporal portion on the opposite side.
47. Ticlopidine may be prescribed to prevent thromboembolic CVA.
48. To maintain airway patency during a stroke in evolution, have orotracheal suction available at all times.
49. For a client w/ CVA, the gag reflux must return before the client is fed.
50. Clear fluids draining from the nose of a client who had a head trauma 3 hrs ago may indicate basilar skull fracture.
51. An adverse effect of gingival hyperplasia may occur during Phenytoin (DIlantin) therapy.
52. Urine output increased: best shows that the mannitol is effective in a client w/ increased ICP.
53. A client w/ C6 spinal injury would most likely have the symptom of quadriplegia.
54. Falls are the leading cause of injury in elderly people.
55. Primary prevention is true prevention. Examples are immunizations, weight control, and smoking cessation.
56. Secondary prevention is early detection. Examples include purifiedv protein derivative (PPD), breast self-examination, testicular self-examination, and chest X-ray.
57. Tertiary prevention is treatment to prevent long-term complications.
58. A patient indicates that he’s coming to terms with having a chronic disease when he says, “I’m never going to get any better.”
59. On noticing religious artifacts and literature on a patient’s nightv stand, a culturally aware nurse would ask the patient the meaning of the items.
60. A Mexican patient may request the intervention of a curandero, orv faith healer, who involves the family in healing the patient.
61. In an infant, the normal hemoglobin value is 12 g/dl.
62. The nitrogen balance estimates the difference between the intake and use of protein.
63. Most of the absorption of water occurs in the large intestine.
64. Most nutrients are absorbed in the small intestine.
65. When assessing a patient’s eating habits, the nurse should ask, “What have you eaten in the last 24 hours?”
66. A vegan diet should include an abundant supply of fiber.
67. A hypotonic enema softens the feces, distends the colon, and stimulates peristalsis.
68. First-morning urine provides the best sample to measure glucose, ketone, pH, and specific gravity values.
69. To induce sleep, the first step is to minimize environmental stimuli.
70. Before moving a patient, the nurse should assess the patient’sv physical abilities and ability to understand instructions as well as the amount of strength required to move the patient.
71. To lose 1 lb (0.5 kg) in 1 week, the patient must decrease his weeklyv intake by 3,500 calories (approximately 500 calories daily). To lose 2 lb (1 kg) in 1 week, the patient must decrease his weekly caloric intake by 7,000 calories (approximately 1,000 calories daily).
72. To avoid shearing force injury, a patient who is completely immobile is lifted on a sheet.
73. To insert a catheter from the nose through the trachea for suction, the nurse should ask the patient to swallow.
74. Vitamin C is needed for collagen production.
75. Only the patient can describe his pain accurately.
76. Cutaneous stimulation creates the release of endorphins that block the transmission of pain stimuli.
77. Patient-controlled analgesia is a safe method to relieve acute painv caused by surgical incision, traumatic injury, labor and delivery, or cancer.
78. An Asian American or European American typically places distance between himself and others when communicating.
79. Active euthanasia is actively helping a person to die.
80. Brain death is irreversible cessation of all brain function.
81. Passive euthanasia is stopping the therapy that’s sustaining life.
82. A third-party payer is an insurance company.
83. Utilization review is performed to determine whether the care provided to a patient was appropriate and cost-effective.
84. A value cohort is a group of people who experienced an out-of-the-ordinary event that shaped their values.
85. Voluntary euthanasia is actively helping a patient to die at the patient’s request.
86. Bananas, citrus fruits, and potatoes are good sources of potassium.
87. Good sources of magnesium include fish, nuts, and grains.
88. Beef, oysters, shrimp, scallops, spinach, beets, and greens are good sources of iron.
89. Intrathecal injection is administering a drug through the spine.
90. When a patient asks a question or makes a statement that’sv emotionally charged, the nurse should respond to the emotion behind the statement or question rather than to what’s being said or asked.
91. The steps of the trajectory-nursing model are as follows:
92. – Step 1: Identifying the trajectory phase
93. – Step 2: Identifying the problems and establishing goals
94. – Step 3: Establishing a plan to meet the goals
95. – Step 4: Identifying factors that facilitate or hinder attainment of the goals
96. – Step 5: Implementing interventions
97. – Step 6: Evaluating the effectiveness of the interventions
98. A Hindu patient is likely to request a vegetarian diet.
99. Pain threshold, or pain sensation, is the initial point at which a patient feels pain.
100. The difference between acute pain and chronic pain is its duration.
101. Referred pain is pain that’s felt at a site other than its origin.
102. Alleviating pain by performing a back massage is consistent with the gate control theory.
103. Romberg’s test is a test for balance or gait.
104. Pain seems more intense at night because the patient isn’t distracted by daily activities.
105. Older patients commonly don’t report pain because of fear of treatment, lifestyle changes, or dependency.
106. No pork or pork products are allowed in a Muslim diet.
107. Two goals of Healthy People 2010 are:
108. – Help individuals of all ages to increase the quality of life and the number of years of optimal health
109. – Eliminate health disparities among different segments of the population.
110. A community nurse is serving as a patient’s advocate if she tells av malnourished patient to go to a meal program at a local park.
111. If a patient isn’t following his treatment plan, the nurse should first ask why.
112. When a patient is ill, it’s essential for the members of his family to maintain communication about his health needs.
113. Ethnocentrism is the universal belief that one’s way of life is superior to others’.
114. When a nurse is communicating with a patient through an interpreter,v the nurse should speak to the patient and the interpreter.
115. In accordance with the “hot-cold” system used by some Mexicans,v Puerto Ricans, and other Hispanic and Latino groups, most foods, beverages, herbs, and drugs are described as “cold.”
116. Prejudice is a hostile attitude toward individuals of a particular group.
117. Discrimination is preferential treatment of individuals of a particular group. It’s usually discussed in a negative sense.
118. Increased gastric motility interferes with the absorption of oral drugs.
119. The three phases of the therapeutic relationship are orientation, working, and termination.
120. Patients often exhibit resistive and challenging behaviors in the orientation phase of the therapeutic relationship.
121. Abdominal assessment is performed in the following order: inspection, auscultation, palpation, and percussion.
122. When measuring blood pressure in a neonate, the nurse should select a cuff that’s no less than one-half and no more than two-thirds the length of the extremity that’s used.
123. When administering a drug by Z-track, the nurse shouldn’t use thev same needle that was used to draw the drug into the syringe because doing so could stain the skin.
124. Sites for intradermal injection include the inner arm, the upper chest, and on the back, under the scapula.
125. When evaluating whether an answer on an examination is correct, thev nurse should consider whether the action that’s described promotes autonomy (independence), safety, self-esteem, and a sense of belonging.
126. Veracity is truth and is an essential component of a therapeutic relationship between a health care provider and his patient.
127. Beneficence is the duty to do no harm and the duty to do good.v There’s an obligation in patient care to do no harm and an equal obligation to assist the patient.
128. Nonmaleficence is the duty to do no harm.
129. Frye’s ABCDE cascade provides a framework for prioritizing care by identifying the most important treatment concerns.
130. A = Airway. This category includes everything that affects a patentv airway, including a foreign object, fluid from an upper respiratory infection, and edema from trauma or an allergic reaction.
131. B = Breathing. This category includes everything that affects thev breathing pattern, including hyperventilation or hypoventilation and abnormal breathing patterns, such as Korsakoff’s, Biot’s, or Cheyne-Stokes respiration.
132. C = Circulation. This category includes everything that affects thev circulation, including fluid and electrolyte disturbances and disease processes that affect cardiac output.
133. D = Disease processes. If the patient has no problem with the airway,v breathing, or circulation, then the nurse should evaluate the disease processes, giving priority to the disease process that poses the greatest immediate risk. For example, if a patient has terminal cancer and hypoglycemia, hypoglycemia is a more immediate concern.
134. E = Everything else. This category includes such issues as writing anv incident report and completing the patient chart. When evaluating needs, this category is never the highest priority.
135. Rule utilitarianism is known as the “greatest good for the greatest number of people” theory.
136. Egalitarian theory emphasizes that equal access to goods and servicesv must be provided to the less fortunate by an affluent society.
137. Before teaching any procedure to a patient, the nurse must assess the patient’s current knowledge and willingness to learn.
138. Process recording is a method of evaluating one’s communication effectiveness.
139. When feeding an elderly patient, the nurse should limit high-carbohydrate foods because of the risk of glucose intolerance.
140. When feeding an elderly patient, essential foods should be given first.
141. Passive range of motion maintains joint mobility. Resistive exercises increase muscle mass.
142. Isometric exercises are performed on an extremity that’s in a cast.
143. A back rub is an example of the gate-control theory of pain.
144. Anything that’s located below the waist is considered unsterile; av sterile field becomes unsterile when it comes in contact with any unsterile item; a sterile field must be monitored continuously; and a border of 1″ (2.5 cm) around a sterile field is considered unsterile.
145. A “shift to the left” is evident when the number of immature cells (bands) in the blood increases to fight an infection.
146. A “shift to the right” is evident when the number of mature cells inv the blood increases, as seen in advanced liver disease and pernicious anemia.
147. Before administering preoperative medication, the nurse should ensurev that an informed consent form has been signed and attached to the patient’s record.
148. A nurse should spend no more than 30 minutes per 8-hour shift providing care to a patient who has a radiation implant.
149. A nurse shouldn’t be assigned to care for more than one patient who has a radiation implant.
150. Long-handled forceps and a lead-lined container should be available in the room of a patient who has a radiation implant.
151. Usually, patients who have the same infection and are in strict isolation can share a room.
152. Diseases that require strict isolation include chickenpox, diphtheria, and viral hemorrhagic fevers such as Marburg disease.
153. For the patient who abides by Jewish custom, milk and meat shouldn’t be served at the same meal.
154. Whether the patient can perform a procedure (psychomotor domain ofv learning) is a better indicator of the effectiveness of patient teaching than whether the patient can simply state the steps involved in the procedure (cognitive domain of learning).
155. According to Erik Erikson, developmental stages are trust versusv mistrust (birth to 18 months), autonomy versus shame and doubt (18 months to age 3), initiative versus guilt (ages 3 to 5), industry versus inferiority (ages 5 to 12), identity versus identity diffusion (ages 12 to 18), intimacy versus isolation (ages 18 to 25), generativity versus stagnation (ages 25 to 60), and ego integrity versus despair (older than age 60).
156. When communicating with a hearing impaired patient, the nurse should face him.
157. An appropriate nursing intervention for the spouse of a patient whov has a serious incapacitating disease is to help him to mobilize a support system.
158. Hyperpyrexia is extreme elevation in temperature above 106° F (41.1° C).
159. Milk is high in sodium and low in iron.
160. When a patient expresses concern about a health-related issue, beforev addressing the concern, the nurse should assess the patient’s level of knowledge.
161. The most effective way to reduce a fever is to administer an antipyretic, which lowers the temperature set point.
162. Unlike false labor, true labor produces regular rhythmic contractions, abdominal discomfort, progressive descent of the fetus, bloody show, and progressive effacement and dilation of the cervix.
163. To help a mother break the suction of her breast-feeding infant, the nurse should teach her to insert a finger at the corner of the infant’s mouth.
164. Administering high levels of oxygen to a premature neonate can cause blindness as a result of retrolental fibroplasia.
165. Amniotomy is artificial rupture of the amniotic membranes.
166. During pregnancy, weight gain averages 25 to 30 lb (11 to 13.5 kg).
167. Rubella has a teratogenic effect on the fetus during the first trimester. It produces abnormalities in up to 40% of cases without interrupting the pregnancy.
168. Immunity to rubella can be measured by a hemagglutination inhibition test (rubella titer). This test identifies exposure to rubella infection and determines susceptibility in pregnant women. In a woman, a titer greater than 1:8 indicates immunity.
169. When used to describe the degree of fetal descent during labor, floating means the presenting part isn’t engaged in the pelvic inlet, but is freely movable (ballotable) above the pelvic inlet.
170. When used to describe the degree of fetal descent, engagement means when the largest diameter of the presenting part has passed through the pelvic inlet.
171. Fetal station indicates the location of the presenting part in relation to the ischial spine. It’s described as –1, –2, –3, –4, or –5 to indicate the number of centimeters above the level of the ischial spine; station –5 is at the pelvic inlet.
172. Fetal station also is described as +1, +2, +3, +4, or +5 to indicate the number of centimeters it is below the level of the ischial spine; station 0 is at the level of the ischial spine.
173. During the first stage of labor, the side-lying position usually provides the greatest degree of comfort, although the patient may assume any comfortable position.
174. During delivery, if the umbilical cord can’t be loosened and slipped from around the neonate’s neck, it should be clamped with two clamps and cut between the clamps.
175. An Apgar score of 7 to 10 indicates no immediate distress, 4 to 6 indicates moderate distress, and 0 to 3 indicates severe distress.
176. To elicit Moro’s reflex, the nurse holds the neonate in both hands and suddenly, but gently, drops the neonate’s head backward. Normally, the neonate abducts and extends all extremities bilaterally and symmetrically, forms a C shape with the thumb and forefinger, and first adducts and then flexes the extremities.
177. Pregnancy-induced hypertension (preeclampsia) is an increase in blood pressure of 30/15 mm Hg over baseline or blood pressure of 140/95 mm Hg on two occasions at least 6 hours apart accompanied by edema and albuminuria after 20 weeks’ gestation.
178. Positive signs of pregnancy include ultrasound evidence, fetal heart tones, and fetal movement felt by the examiner (not usually present until 4 months’ gestation)
179. Goodell’s sign is softening of the cervix.
180. Quickening, a presumptive sign of pregnancy, occurs between 16 and 19 weeks’ gestation.
181. Ovulation ceases during pregnancy.
182. Any vaginal bleeding during pregnancy should be considered a complication until proven otherwise.
183. To estimate the date of delivery using Nägele’s rule, the nurse counts backward 3 months from the first day of the last menstrual period and then adds 7 days to this date.
184. At 12 weeks’ gestation, the fundus should be at the top of the symphysis pubis.
185. Cow’s milk shouldn’t be given to infants younger than age 1 because it has a low linoleic acid content and its protein is difficult for infants to digest.
186. If jaundice is suspected in a neonate, the nurse should examine the infant under natural window light. If natural light is unavailable, the nurse should examine the infant under a white light.
187. The three phases of a uterine contraction are increment, acme, and decrement.
188. The intensity of a labor contraction can be assessed by the indentability of the uterine wall at the contraction’s peak. Intensity is graded as mild (uterine muscle is somewhat tense), moderate (uterine muscle is moderately tense), or strong (uterine muscle is boardlike).
189. Chloasma, the mask of pregnancy, is pigmentation of a circumscribed area of skin (usually over the bridge of the nose and cheeks) that occurs in some pregnant women.
190. The gynecoid pelvis is most ideal for delivery. Other types include platypelloid (flat), anthropoid (apelike), and android (malelike).
191. Pregnant women should be advised that there is no safe level of alcohol intake.
192. The frequency of uterine contractions, which is measured in minutes, is the time from the beginning of one contraction to the beginning of the next.
193. Vitamin K is administered to neonates to prevent hemorrhagic disorders because a neonate’s intestine can’t synthesize vitamin K.
194. Before internal fetal monitoring can be performed, a pregnant patient’s cervix must be dilated at least 2 cm, the amniotic membranes must be ruptured, and the fetus’s presenting part (scalp or buttocks) must be at station –1 or lower, so that a small electrode can be attached.
195. Fetal alcohol syndrome presents in the first 24 hours after birth and produces lethargy, seizures, poor sucking reflex, abdominal distention, and respiratory difficulty.
196. Variability is any change in the fetal heart rate (FHR) from its normal rate of 120 to 160 beats/minute. Acceleration is increased FHR; deceleration is decreased FHR.
197. In a neonate, the symptoms of heroin withdrawal may begin several hours to 4 days after birth.
198. In a neonate, the symptoms of methadone withdrawal may begin 7 days to several weeks after birth.
199. In a neonate, the cardinal signs of narcotic withdrawal include coarse, flapping tremors; sleepiness; restlessness; prolonged, persistent, high-pitched cry; and irritability.
200. The nurse should count a neonate’s respirations for 1 full minute.
201. Chlorpromazine (Thorazine) is used to treat neonates who are addicted to narcotics.
202. The nurse should provide a dark, quiet environment for a neonate who is experiencing narcotic withdrawal.
203. In a premature neonate, signs of respiratory distress include nostril flaring, substernal retractions, and inspiratory grunting.
204. Respiratory distress syndrome (hyaline membrane disease) develops in premature infants because their pulmonary alveoli lack surfactant.
205. Whenever an infant is being put down to sleep, the parent or caregiver should position the infant on the back. (Remember back to sleep.)
206. The male sperm contributes an X or a Y chromosome; the female ovum contributes an X chromosome.
207. Fertilization produces a total of 46 chromosomes, including an XY combination (male) or an XX combination (female).
208. The percentage of water in a neonate’s body is about 78% to 80%.
209. To perform nasotracheal suctioning in an infant, the nurse positions the infant with his neck slightly hyperextended in a “sniffing” position, with his chin up and his head tilted back slightly.
210. Organogenesis occurs during the first trimester of pregnancy, specifically, days 14 to 56 of gestation.
211. After birth, the neonate’s umbilical cord is tied 1″ (2.5 cm) from the abdominal wall with a cotton cord, plastic clamp, or rubber band.
212. Gravida is the number of pregnancies a woman has had, regardless of outcome.
213. Para is the number of pregnancies that reached viability, regardless of whether the fetus was delivered alive or stillborn. A fetus is considered viable at 20 weeks’ gestation.
214. An ectopic pregnancy is one that implants abnormally, outside the uterus.
215. The first stage of labor begins with the onset of labor and ends with full cervical dilation at 10 cm.
216. The second stage of labor begins with full cervical dilation and ends with the neonate’s birth.
217. The third stage of labor begins after the neonate’s birth and ends with expulsion of the placenta.
218. In a full-term neonate, skin creases appear over two-thirds of the neonate’s feet. Preterm neonates have heel creases that cover less than two-thirds of the feet.
219. The fourth stage of labor (postpartum stabilization) lasts up to 4 hours after the placenta is delivered. This time is needed to stabilize the mother’s physical and emotional state after the stress of childbirth.
220. At 20 weeks’ gestation, the fundus is at the level of the umbilicus.
221. At 36 weeks’ gestation, the fundus is at the lower border of the rib cage.
222. A premature neonate is one born before the end of the 37th week of gestation.
223. Pregnancy-induced hypertension is a leading cause of maternal death in the United States.
224. A habitual aborter is a woman who has had three or more consecutive spontaneous abortions.
225. Threatened abortion occurs when bleeding is present without cervical dilation.
226. A complete abortion occurs when all products of conception are expelled.
227. Hydramnios (polyhydramnios) is excessive amniotic fluid (more than 2,000 ml in the third trimester).
228. Stress, dehydration, and fatigue may reduce a breast-feeding mother’s milk supply.
229. During the transition phase of the first stage of labor, the cervix is dilated 8 to 10 cm and contractions usually occur 2 to 3 minutes apart and last for 60 seconds.
230. A nonstress test is considered nonreactive (positive) if fewer than two fetal heart rate accelerations of at least 15 beats/minute occur in 20 minutes.
231. A nonstress test is considered reactive (negative) if two or more fetal heart rate accelerations of 15 beats/minute above baseline occur in 20 minutes.
232. A nonstress test is usually performed to assess fetal well-being in a pregnant patient with a prolonged pregnancy (42 weeks or more), diabetes, a history of poor pregnancy outcomes, or pregnancy-induced hypertension.
233. A pregnant woman should drink at least eight 8-oz glasses (about 2,000 ml) of water daily.
234. When both breasts are used for breast-feeding, the infant usually doesn’t empty the second breast. Therefore, the second breast should be used first at the next feeding.
235. A low-birth-weight neonate weighs 2,500 g (5 lb 8 oz) or less at birth.
236. A very-low-birth-weight neonate weighs 1,500 g (3 lb 5 oz) or less at birth.
237. When teaching parents to provide umbilical cord care, the nurse should teach them to clean the umbilical area with a cotton ball saturated with alcohol after every diaper change to prevent infection and promote drying.
238. Teenage mothers are more likely to have low-birth-weight neonates because they seek prenatal care late in pregnancy (as a result of denial) and are more likely than older mothers to have nutritional deficiencies.
239. Linea nigra, a dark line that extends from the umbilicus to the mons pubis, commonly appears during pregnancy and disappears after pregnancy.
240. Implantation in the uterus occurs 6 to 10 days after ovum fertilization.
241. Placenta previa is abnormally low implantation of the placenta so that it encroaches on or covers the cervical os.
242. In complete (total) placenta previa, the placenta completely covers the cervical os.
243. In partial (incomplete or marginal) placenta previa, the placenta covers only a portion of the cervical os.
244. Abruptio placentae is premature separation of a normally implanted placenta. It may be partial or complete, and usually causes abdominal pain, vaginal bleeding, and a boardlike abdomen.
245. Cutis marmorata is mottling or purple discoloration of the skin. It’s a transient vasomotor response that occurs primarily in the arms and legs of infants who are exposed to cold.
246. The classic triad of symptoms of preeclampsia are hypertension, edema, and proteinuria. Additional symptoms of severe preeclampsia include hyperreflexia, cerebral and vision disturbances, and epigastric pain.
247. Ortolani’s sign (an audible click or palpable jerk that occurs with thigh abduction) confirms congenital hip dislocation in a neonate.
248. The first immunization for a neonate is the hepatitis B vaccine, which is administered in the nursery shortly after birth.
249. If a patient misses a menstrual period while taking an oral contraceptive exactly as prescribed, she should continue taking the contraceptive.
250. If a patient misses two consecutive menstrual periods while taking an oral contraceptive, she should discontinue the contraceptive and take a pregnancy test.
251. If a patient who is taking an oral contraceptive misses a dose, she should take the pill as soon as she remembers or take two at the next scheduled interval and continue with the normal schedule.
252. If a patient who is taking an oral contraceptive misses two consecutive doses, she should double the dose for 2 days and then resume her normal schedule. She also should use an additional birth control method for 1 week.
253. Eclampsia is the occurrence of seizures that aren’t caused by a cerebral disorder in a patient who has pregnancy-induced hypertension.
254. In placenta previa, bleeding is painless and seldom fatal on the first occasion, but it becomes heavier with each subsequent episode.
255. Treatment for abruptio placentae is usually immediate cesarean delivery.
256. Drugs used to treat withdrawal symptoms in neonates include phenobarbital (Luminal), camphorated opium tincture (paregoric), and diazepam (Valium).
257. Infants with Down syndrome typically have marked hypotonia, floppiness, slanted eyes, excess skin on the back of the neck, flattened bridge of the nose, flat facial features, spadelike hands, short and broad feet, small male genitalia, absence of Moro’s reflex, and a simian crease on the hands.
258. The failure rate of a contraceptive is determined by the experience of 100 women for 1 year. It’s expressed as pregnancies per 100 woman-years.
259. The narrowest diameter of the pelvic inlet is the anteroposterior (diagonal conjugate).
260. The chorion is the outermost extraembryonic membrane that gives rise to the placenta.
261. The corpus luteum secretes large quantities of progesterone.
262. From the 8th week of gestation through delivery, the developing cells are known as a fetus.
263. In an incomplete abortion, the fetus is expelled, but parts of the placenta and membrane remain in the uterus.
264. The circumference of a neonate’s head is normally 2 to 3 cm greater than the circumference of the chest.
265. After administering magnesium sulfate to a pregnant patient for hypertension or preterm labor, the nurse should monitor the respiratory rate and deep tendon reflexes.
266. During the first hour after birth (the period of reactivity), the neonate is alert and awake.
267. When a pregnant patient has undiagnosed vaginal bleeding, vaginal examination should be avoided until ultrasonography rules out placenta previa.
268. After delivery, the first nursing action is to establish the neonate’s airway.
269. Nursing interventions for a patient with placenta previa include positioning the patient on her left side for maximum fetal perfusion, monitoring fetal heart tones, and administering I.V. fluids and oxygen, as ordered.
270. The specific gravity of a neonate’s urine is 1.003 to 1.030. A lower specific gravity suggests overhydration; a higher one suggests dehydration.
271. The neonatal period extends from birth to day 28. It’s also called the first 4 weeks or first month of life.
272. A woman who is breast-feeding should rub a mild emollient cream or a few drops of breast milk (or colostrum) on the nipples after each feeding. She should let the breasts air-dry to prevent them from cracking.
273. Breast-feeding mothers should increase their fluid intake to 2½ to 3 qt (2,500 to 3,000 ml) daily.
274. After feeding an infant with a cleft lip or palate, the nurse should rinse the infant’s mouth with sterile water.
275. The nurse instills erythromycin in a neonate’s eyes primarily to prevent blindness caused by gonorrhea or chlamydia.
276. Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) has been cultured in breast milk and can be transmitted by an HIV-positive mother who breast-feeds her infant.
277. A fever in the first 24 hours postpartum is most likely caused by dehydration rather than infection.
278. Preterm neonates or neonates who can’t maintain a skin temperature of at least 97.6° F (36.4° C) should receive care in an incubator (Isolette) or a radiant warmer. In a radiant warmer, a heat-sensitive probe taped to the neonate’s skin activates the heater unit automatically to maintain the desired temperature.
279. During labor, the resting phase between contractions is at least 30 seconds.
280. Lochia rubra is the vaginal discharge of almost pure blood that occurs during the first few days after childbirth.
281. Lochia serosa is the serous vaginal discharge that occurs 4 to 7 days after childbirth.
282. Lochia alba is the vaginal discharge of decreased blood and increased leukocytes that’s the final stage of lochia. It occurs 7 to 10 days after childbirth.
283. Colostrum, the precursor of milk, is the first secretion from the breasts after delivery.
284. The length of the uterus increases from 2½” (6.3 cm) before pregnancy to 12½” (32 cm) at term.
285. To estimate the true conjugate (the smallest inlet measurement of the pelvis), deduct 1.5 cm from the diagonal conjugate (usually 12 cm). A true conjugate of 10.5 cm enables the fetal head (usually 10 cm) to pass.
286. The smallest outlet measurement of the pelvis is the intertuberous diameter, which is the transverse diameter between the ischial tuberosities.
287. Electronic fetal monitoring is used to assess fetal well-being during labor. If compromised fetal status is suspected, fetal blood pH may be evaluated by obtaining a scalp sample.
288. In an emergency delivery, enough pressure should be applied to the emerging fetus’s head to guide the descent and prevent a rapid change in pressure within the molded fetal skull.
289. After delivery, a multiparous woman is more susceptible to bleeding than a primiparous woman because her uterine muscles may be overstretched and may not contract efficiently.
290. Neonates who are delivered by cesarean birth have a higher incidence of respiratory distress syndrome.
291. The nurse should suggest ambulation to a postpartum patient who has gas pain and flatulence.
292. Massaging the uterus helps to stimulate contractions after the placenta is delivered.
293. When providing phototherapy to a neonate, the nurse should cover the neonate’s eyes and genital area.
294. The narcotic antagonist naloxone (Narcan) may be given to a neonate to correct respiratory depression caused by narcotic administration to the mother during labor.
295. In a neonate, symptoms of respiratory distress syndrome include expiratory grunting or whining, sandpaper breath sounds, and seesaw retractions.
296. Cerebral palsy presents as asymmetrical movement, irritability, and excessive, feeble crying in a long, thin infant.
297. The nurse should assess a breech-birth neonate for hydrocephalus, hematomas, fractures, and other anomalies caused by birth trauma.
298. When a patient is admitted to the unit in active labor, the nurse’s first action is to listen for fetal heart tones.
299. In a neonate, long, brittle fingernails are a sign of postmaturity.
300. Desquamation (skin peeling) is common in postmature neonates.
301. A mother should allow her infant to breast-feed until the infant is satisfied. The time may vary from 5 to 20 minutes.
302. Nitrazine paper is used to test the pH of vaginal discharge to determine the presence of amniotic fluid.
303. A pregnant patient normally gains 2 to 5 lb (1 to 2.5 kg) during the first trimester and slightly less than 1 lb (0.5 kg) per week during the last two trimesters.
304. Neonatal jaundice in the first 24 hours after birth is known as pathological jaundice and is a sign of erythroblastosis fetalis.
305. A classic difference between abruptio placentae and placenta previa is the degree of pain. Abruptio placentae causes pain, whereas placenta previa causes painless bleeding.
306. Because a major role of the placenta is to function as a fetal lung, any condition that interrupts normal blood flow to or from the placenta increases fetal partial pressure of arterial carbon dioxide and decreases fetal pH.
307. Precipitate labor lasts for approximately 3 hours and ends with delivery of the neonate
308. Methylergonovine (Methergine) is an oxytocic agent used to prevent and treat postpartum hemorrhage caused by uterine atony or subinvolution.
309. As emergency treatment for excessive uterine bleeding, 0.2 mg of methylergonovine (Methergine) is injected I.V. over 1 minute while the patient’s blood pressure and uterine contractions are monitored.
310. Braxton Hicks contractions are usually felt in the abdomen and don’t cause cervical change. True labor contractions are felt in the front of the abdomen and back and lead to progressive cervical dilation and effacement.
311. The average birth weight of neonates born to mothers who smoke is 6 oz (170 g) less than that of neonates born to nonsmoking mothers.
312. Culdoscopy is visualization of the pelvic organs through the posterior vaginal fornix.
313. The nurse should teach a pregnant vegetarian to obtain protein from alternative sources, such as nuts, soybeans, and legumes.
314. The nurse should instruct a pregnant patient to take only prescribed prenatal vitamins because over-the-counter high-potency vitamins may harm the fetus.
315. High-sodium foods can cause fluid retention, especially in pregnant patients.
316. A pregnant patient can avoid constipation and hemorrhoids by adding fiber to her diet.
317. If a fetus has late decelerations (a sign of fetal hypoxia), the nurse should instruct the mother to lie on her left side and then administer 8 to 10 L of oxygen per minute by mask or cannula. The nurse should notify the physician. The side-lying position removes pressure on the inferior vena cava.
318. Oxytocin (Pitocin) promotes lactation and uterine contractions.
319. Lanugo covers the fetus’s body until about 20 weeks’ gestation. Then it begins to disappear from the face, trunk, arms, and legs, in that order.
320. In a neonate, hypoglycemia causes temperature instability, hypotonia, jitteriness, and seizures. Premature, postmature, small-for-gestational-age, and large-for-gestational-age neonates are susceptible to this disorder.
321. Neonates typically need to consume 50 to 55 cal per pound of body weight daily.
322. Because oxytocin (Pitocin) stimulates powerful uterine contractions during labor, it must be administered under close observation to help prevent maternal and fetal distress.
323. During fetal heart rate monitoring, variable decelerations indicate compression or prolapse of the umbilical cord.
324. Cytomegalovirus is the leading cause of congenital viral infection.
325. Tocolytic therapy is indicated in premature labor, but contraindicated in fetal death, fetal distress, or severe hemorrhage.
326. Through ultrasonography, the biophysical profile assesses fetal well-being by measuring fetal breathing movements, gross body movements, fetal tone, reactive fetal heart rate (nonstress test), and qualitative amniotic fluid volume.
327. A neonate whose mother has diabetes should be assessed for hyperinsulinism.
328. In a patient with preeclampsia, epigastric pain is a late symptom and requires immediate medical intervention.
329. After a stillbirth, the mother should be allowed to hold the neonate to help her come to terms with the death.
330. Molding is the process by which the fetal head changes shape to facilitate movement through the birth canal.
331. If a woman receives a spinal block before delivery, the nurse should monitor the patient’s blood pressure closely.
332. If a woman suddenly becomes hypotensive during labor, the nurse should increase the infusion rate of I.V. fluids as prescribed.
333. The best technique for assessing jaundice in a neonate is to blanch the tip of the nose or the area just above the umbilicus.
334. During fetal heart monitoring, early deceleration is caused by compression of the head during labor.
335. After the placenta is delivered, the nurse may add oxytocin (Pitocin) to the patient’s I.V. solution, as prescribed, to promote postpartum involution of the uterus and stimulate lactation.
336. Pica is a craving to eat nonfood items, such as dirt, crayons, chalk, glue, starch, or hair. It may occur during pregnancy and can endanger the fetus.
337. A pregnant patient should take folic acid because this nutrient is required for rapid cell division.
338. A woman who is taking clomiphene (Clomid) to induce ovulation should be informed of the possibility of multiple births with this drug.
339. If needed, cervical suturing is usually done between 14 and 18 weeks’ gestation to reinforce an incompetent cervix and maintain pregnancy. The suturing is typically removed by 35 weeks’ gestation.
340. During the first trimester, a pregnant woman should avoid all drugs unless doing so would adversely affect her health.
341. Most drugs that a breast-feeding mother takes appear in breast milk.
342. The Food and Drug Administration has established the following five categories of drugs based on their potential for causing birth defects: A, no evidence of risk; B, no risk found in animals, but no studies have been done in women; C, animal studies have shown an adverse effect, but the drug may be beneficial to women despite the potential risk; D, evidence of risk, but its benefits may outweigh its risks; and X, fetal anomalies noted, and the risks clearly outweigh the potential benefits.
343. A patient with a ruptured ectopic pregnancy commonly has sharp pain in the lower abdomen, with spotting and cramping. She may have abdominal rigidity; rapid, shallow respirations; tachycardia; and shock.
344. A patient with a ruptured ectopic pregnancy commonly has sharp pain in the lower abdomen, with spotting and cramping. She may have abdominal rigidity; rapid, shallow respirations; tachycardia; and shock.
345. The mechanics of delivery are engagement, descent and flexion, internal rotation, extension, external rotation, restitution, and expulsion.
346. A probable sign of pregnancy, McDonald’s sign is characterized by an ease in flexing the body of the uterus against the cervix.
347. Amenorrhea is a probable sign of pregnancy.
348. A pregnant woman’s partner should avoid introducing air into the vagina during oral sex because of the possibility of air embolism.
349. The presence of human chorionic gonadotropin in the blood or urine is a probable sign of pregnancy.
350. Radiography isn’t usually used in a pregnant woman because it may harm the developing fetus. If radiography is essential, it should be performed only after 36 weeks’ gestation.

credits to Mervilyn C. Pabustan

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