Obstetric Nurse Postpartum Maternal Care Questions and Answers

Question 1

A nurse is assessing a client who is two hours postpartum.
The client's fundus is palpated as boggy, 2 cm above the umbilicus, and deviated to the right.
The client's lochia rubra flow is heavy.
What is the nurse's priority action?

Accepted Answer

Assist the client to the bathroom to void.

Answer

Administer a PRN analgesic for afterpains.

Answer

Increase the rate of the intravenous oxytocin infusion.

Answer

Document the findings and reassess in 30 minutes.

Question 2

A nurse is providing discharge instructions to a new mother regarding normal postpartum lochia changes. Which statement by the client indicates a need for further teaching?

Accepted Answer

"It is normal for my bleeding to turn bright red again after it has become a yellowish-white color."

Answer

"The reddish discharge, lochia rubra, should last for the first 3 to 4 days after birth."

Answer

"I should call my doctor if I soak a perineal pad in an hour or less."

Answer

"The discharge will become pinkish-brown, called lochia serosa, for about a week after the red flow stops."

Question 3

On postpartum day 4, a client who experienced a prolonged rupture of membranes reports uterine tenderness and chills. The nurse assesses a temperature of 101.5°F (38.6°C) and notes profuse, foul-smelling lochia. These findings are most indicative of which postpartum complication?

Accepted Answer

Endometritis

Answer

Mastitis

Answer

Urinary Tract Infection

Answer

Thrombophlebitis

Question 4

A nurse is preparing to administer Rh(D) immune globulin to a postpartum client. Which of the following conditions must be met for this intervention to be appropriate?

Accepted Answer

The mother is Rh-negative, and the newborn is Rh-positive.

Answer

The mother is Rh-positive, and the newborn is Rh-negative.

Answer

The mother is Rh-negative, and her direct Coombs test is positive.

Answer

Both the mother and the newborn are Rh-negative.

Question 5

A client on postpartum day 6 complains of persistent pain, tenderness, and warmth in her right calf. The nurse's assessment reveals unilateral swelling and redness of the lower leg. What is the most appropriate initial nursing action?

Accepted Answer

Instruct the client to maintain bed rest with the affected leg elevated.

Answer

Gently massage the affected leg to improve circulation.

Answer

Encourage the client to ambulate to prevent venous stasis.

Answer

Apply a heating pad to the affected area for comfort.

Question 6

When educating a postpartum support group, how should the nurse best distinguish between postpartum 'baby blues' and postpartum depression (PPD)?

Accepted Answer

"Postpartum blues are a normal, transient condition of mood swings and tearfulness that resolves within two weeks, whereas PPD involves more severe, persistent symptoms that impair daily functioning."

Answer

"Postpartum depression typically begins within 2-3 days of delivery, while the 'baby blues' can start any time in the first year."

Answer

"The 'baby blues' often include thoughts of harming the infant, which are not present in postpartum depression."

Answer

"Only postpartum depression requires professional treatment; the 'baby blues' can be managed with herbal remedies alone."