Midwifery Exam Questions

Correct Answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is A: Avoidance of elective surgery and nonessential medications. This is the initial management for a patient with thrombocytopenia and abnormal bleeding time, possibly indicating immune thrombocytopenic purpura (ITP). Avoiding surgery and medications that can worsen thrombocytopenia is crucial to prevent bleeding complications. Prednisone (B) is not the first-line treatment for ITP, especially without confirming the diagnosis. Monoclonal antibody therapy (C) such as rituximab is usually reserved for refractory cases. Splenectomy (D) is considered only if other treatments fail as a last resort.

Correct Answer: C

Rationale: The correct answer is C: Autonomy and beneficence. Autonomy refers to the patient's right to make their own decisions regarding their healthcare. In this case, the patient is refusing reintubation, exercising his autonomy. However, beneficence, the duty to act in the patient's best interest, also comes into play as the patient's refusal could lead to respiratory failure and death. The conflict arises from balancing the patient's autonomy with the healthcare provider's duty to provide beneficial care. Choices A, B, and D are incorrect because they do not accurately capture the ethical conflict present in the scenario. Veracity (A) refers to truthfulness, which is not the primary issue here. Nonmalfeasance (B) is the duty to do no harm, which is not directly relevant to the conflict between the patient's autonomy and the need for beneficial care. Justice (D) relates to fairness in resource allocation and is not the primary issue in this case.

Correct Answer: D

Rationale: The correct answer is D: All of the above. Multiple gestations are at higher risk for complications such as premature labor, where contractions start before 37 weeks, leading to preterm birth. Twin-to-twin transfusion syndrome can occur in identical twins sharing a placenta, causing unequal blood flow. Preeclampsia, characterized by high blood pressure and organ damage, is more common in multiple pregnancies. Therefore, all choices A, B, and C are correct as they are common complications associated with multiple gestations.

Correct Answer: C

Rationale: The correct answer is C: A long history of alcohol use. In this case, the patient T. S. is brain dead following a catastrophic accident. Although she had an organ donor notation, her long history of alcohol use precludes her from serving as a liver donor. Chronic alcohol use can lead to liver damage and compromise the quality of the liver for transplantation. Encephalopathy (choice A) is a potential complication of liver disease, but it does not preclude her from being a liver donor. Hepatitis C infection (choice B) and biliary cirrhosis (choice D) may affect the liver, but they do not automatically disqualify her as a donor.

Correct Answer: D

Rationale: The correct answer is D: Serotonin. Serotonin is not a primary chemical mediator of hepatic encephalopathy. The main chemical mediators involved in hepatic encephalopathy are A: Gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA), B: Ammonia, and C: False neurotransmitters. GABA plays a role in inhibiting neurotransmission, ammonia is a key factor in the pathogenesis of hepatic encephalopathy, and false neurotransmitters are produced due to altered amino acid metabolism in the liver. Serotonin is not a key player in the development of hepatic encephalopathy, hence it is the correct answer.