Maternal NCLEX Practice Questions Related

Review Maternal NCLEX Practice Questions related questions and content

The nurse is caring for the postpartum family. The nurse determines that paternal engrossment is occurring when which observation is made of the newborn’s father?

  • A. Talks to his newborn from across the room
  • B. Shows similarities between his and the baby’s ears
  • C. Expresses feeling frustrated when the infant cries
  • D. Seems to be hesitant to touch his newborn
Correct Answer: B

Rationale: Not making face-to-face contact with the infant during communication demonstrates a lack of engrossment. In North American culture, engrossment is demonstrated by the father touching the infant, making eye contact with the infant, and verbalizing awareness of features in the newborn that are similar to his and that validate his claim to that newborn. Feelings of frustration are not uncommon to fathers and are characteristic of the second stage, or reality stage, of the transition to fatherhood but are not a sign of engrossment. A hesitation to touch the infant demonstrates a lack of engrossment.