RNC-IAP Practice Test (15 Questions)

16%

Maternal Physiology and Assessment

Differentiate normal pregnancy adaptation from deterioration through structured maternal history, examination, laboratory interpretation, diagnostic testing, and psychosocial assessment.

• Apply normal cardiovascular, respiratory, gastrointestinal, hematologic, immune, renal, fluid, electrolyte, reproductive, endocrine, metabolic, and placental physiology
• Integrate medical, obstetric, nutritional, and surgical history with gestational stage and focused cardiovascular, respiratory, neurologic, reproductive, renal, and integumentary assessment
• Interpret biochemical, hematologic, immunologic, diabetic, genetic, microbiologic, blood-gas, urine, and culture findings in pregnancy
• Use pulse oximetry, ultrasound, Doppler studies, and oxygen therapy appropriately within the maternal clinical picture
• Assess family and cultural context, substance use or withdrawal, violence, teratogen exposure, falls, depression, anxiety, PTSD, and suicide risk

16%

Fetal Physiology and Assessment

Apply fetal development and physiology to interpret antenatal tests, movement, growth, fetal heart rate patterns, uterine activity, and signs of compromise.

• Relate cardiovascular, respiratory, gastrointestinal, neurologic, renal, metabolic, developmental, and growth physiology to fetal risk
• Understand indications and findings for ultrasound, Doppler, nonstress testing, contraction stress testing, cell-free DNA, biophysical profiles, movement counting, fluid assessment, CVS, amniocentesis, AFP, quad screening, Kleihauer-Betke testing, and fetal or cord gases
• Apply fetal stimulation and maternal-fetal context when interpreting surveillance findings
• Use NICHD terminology for baseline, variability, accelerations, decelerations, sinusoidal patterns, arrhythmias, categories, and uterine activity, and escalate persistent compromise

31%

Obstetric Complications

The largest domain covers hypertensive and diabetic disease, fetal complications, uterine and placental disorders, membrane and fluid problems, obstetric emergencies, and maternal-fetal stabilization.

• Differentiate chronic and gestational hypertension, preeclampsia with or without severe features, superimposed preeclampsia, HELLP syndrome, and eclampsia, including diagnostic criteria, surveillance, and emergency response
• Manage nursing priorities for gestational or pregestational diabetes, hypoglycemia, hyperglycemia, diabetic ketoacidosis, and indicated fetal surveillance
• Recognize risks associated with multiple gestation, chorionicity and amnionicity, discordance, twin-to-twin transfusion, fetal growth restriction, anomalies, demise, palliative care, and grief
• Differentiate placental abruption, previa, vasa previa, insufficiency, accreta spectrum, cord abnormalities, cervical insufficiency, rupture, inversion, embolism, PPROM, chorioamnionitis, and abnormal fluid volume
• Respond to trauma, preterm or emergency birth, malpresentation, cord prolapse, cesarean preparation, cardiac arrest, obstetric hemorrhage, and maternal, fetal, or newborn resuscitation needs

27%

Medical Complications in Pregnancy

Recognize how major medical disorders present and change during pregnancy, integrate their maternal-fetal consequences, and provide safe monitoring, intervention, collaboration, and escalation.

• Assess congenital, acquired, ischemic, valvular, cardiomyopathic, aortic, and rhythm disorders alongside asthma, pulmonary embolism, edema, infection, hemorrhage, and other respiratory disease
• Recognize anemia, hemoglobinopathy, thrombocytopenia, DIC, venous thromboembolism, DVT, and hemorrhagic or hypovolemic shock
• Apply infection prevention, isolation, maternal-fetal surveillance, and treatment principles for sexually transmitted, bacterial, viral, and congenital infections
• Manage the nursing implications of thyroid, parathyroid, pituitary, adrenal, autoimmune, neurologic, renal, hepatic, and gastrointestinal disease in pregnancy
• Prioritize changes requiring urgent diagnostic evaluation, stabilization, higher-acuity care, or expedited obstetric and specialty collaboration

10%

Pharmacology

Apply pregnancy-specific pharmacokinetic, pharmacodynamic, therapeutic, monitoring, and safety principles across antepartum conditions and emergencies.

• Relate absorption, distribution, metabolism, excretion, concentration, half-life, and mechanism of action to maternal and fetal effects
• Safely monitor analgesics, sedatives, anesthetics, anticoagulants, thrombolytics, anticonvulsants, antihypertensives, vasopressors, antimicrobials, antiarrhythmics, and antidiabetic agents
• Apply indications, contraindications, complications, and monitoring for progesterone, tocolytics, antenatal corticosteroids, magnesium sulfate, IV iron, methadone, buprenorphine, and withdrawal treatment
• Recognize safe volume resuscitation, blood-component therapy, and immunologic or nonimmunologic transfusion reactions