RN Exam Practice
Reduction of Risk PotentialQuestion 1352 of 2368

A client at 32 weeks with a known placenta previa reports new vaginal bleeding. Which action should the nurse avoid?

  1. Obtaining maternal vital signs
  2. Performing a digital cervical examination
  3. Starting continuous fetal heart rate monitoring
  4. Notifying the anesthesia team
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Correct answer: Performing a digital cervical examination

Palpating a placenta previa through a partly dilated cervix can cause severe hemorrhage, so digital exams are avoided.

Source: Nursing Health Promotion (Open RN, Chippewa Valley Technical College, 2025), High-risk Perinatal Client Care: Placenta Previa. Licensed under CC BY 4.0.

Practice the topic "Reduction of Risk Potential"

Questions last reviewed: 18 October 2026