NCLEX-RN Exam - Topic 2 Question 12 Discussion

Actual exam question for NCLEX's NCLEX-RN exam

Question #: 12
Topic #: 2

A client is in active labor and has been admitted to the labor and delivery unit. The RN has just done a sterile vaginal exam and determines that the client is dilated 5 cm, effaced 85%, and the fetus's head is at 0 station. She asks if she could have a lumbar epidural now. The epidural is started, and the anesthetic agent used is bupivacaine (Marcaine). After the client has received her lumbar epidural, it is important for the RN to monitor her for which of the following side effects:

AHypertension

BHypotension

CHypoglycemia

DHyperglycemia

Show Suggested Answer

Suggested Answer: B

(A) The medication bupivacaine will cause vasodilation in the vascular system, and this does not result in elevation of the ma-ternal blood pressure. (B) The medication bupivacaine will cause vasodilation in the vascular system, and this will result in lowering the maternal blood pressure. (C) Bupivacaine does not interfere with the functioning of the endocrine system. (D) Bupivacaine does not interfere with the functioning of the endocrine system.

by Burma at Nov 23, 2025, 06:42 PM

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Elsa

1 day ago

Not really, Tom. Hypotension is more typical with epidurals.

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Cherelle

6 days ago

What about A) Hypertension? Isn’t that possible too?

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Laurel

11 days ago

I’m leaning towards B too. Monitoring is crucial after an epidural.

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Elsa

17 days ago

Agreed, B) Hypotension makes sense. It’s a common side effect.

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Ollie

22 days ago

Agreed, hypotension is the main concern here.

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Augustine

27 days ago

Nope, it's usually hypotension with epidurals.

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Vanda

2 months ago

B) Hypotension, for sure. Epidurals and low blood pressure, name a more iconic duo.

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Kelvin

2 months ago

Haha, I hope the RN has a good grip on that sphygmomanometer! B) Hypotension is the way to go.

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Lizette

2 months ago

B) Hypotension, no doubt. Epidurals can really mess with your blood pressure, so the RN has to be on the lookout.

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Elbert

2 months ago

I agree, B) Hypotension is the right answer. Gotta watch out for that drop in blood pressure after an epidural.

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Tess

2 months ago

Definitely B. Epidurals are known to cause a drop in blood pressure, so the RN needs to keep an eye out for that.

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Willard

2 months ago

B) Hypotension is the correct answer. Epidurals can cause a drop in blood pressure, so the RN needs to monitor for hypotension.

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Cherry

3 months ago

I feel pretty confident about this. Epidurals can lower blood pressure, so the RN should be monitoring the client for hypotension after the epidural is administered. I'll go with B.

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Becky

3 months ago

Okay, I've got this. The epidural can cause a drop in blood pressure, so the RN needs to monitor for hypotension. B is the right answer.

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Ligia

3 months ago

I'm a little unsure about this one. The client is in active labor, so I'm wondering if there could be some other complications to watch for. Maybe I should re-read the question carefully.

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Ivette

3 months ago

Hmm, this seems straightforward. The epidural is using bupivacaine, so I'm pretty sure the side effect to watch out for is hypotension. I'll go with B.

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Emeline

3 months ago

I feel like I read something about monitoring for blood pressure changes after an epidural, so hypotension seems likely, but I could be mixing it up with something else.

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Ashley

3 months ago

I practiced a similar question where hypotension was the answer, so I’m leaning towards that for this one too.

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Nobuko

4 months ago

I think the key here is to focus on the potential side effects of the epidural. The question is asking what the RN should monitor for, so I'll need to carefully consider the options.

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