A nurse is caring for a newborn immediately after birth. Which of the following actions by the nurse reduces evaporative heat loss by the newborn?
Maintaining ambient room temperature at 24° C (75° F).
Drying the newborn's skin thoroughly.
Preventing air drafts.
Placing the newborn on a warm surface.
The Correct Answer is B
A. Maintaining ambient room temperature at 24° C (75° F) can help prevent heat loss by keeping the environment warm, but it does not specifically address evaporative heat loss. Evaporative heat loss occurs when moisture on the skin evaporates, which is not directly controlled by ambient temperature.
B. Drying the newborn's skin thoroughly reduces evaporative heat loss by removing moisture that can evaporate and cool the skin. This action is critical immediately after birth when the newborn is wet with amniotic fluid.
C. Preventing air drafts helps reduce convective heat loss, not evaporative heat loss. Convective heat loss occurs when air moves across the skin and carries heat away.
D. Placing the newborn on a warm surface helps reduce conductive heat loss by preventing heat transfer from the baby to a cooler surface. However, this does not address evaporative heat loss, which is specifically related to moisture evaporation from the skin.
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Related Questions
Correct Answer is B
Explanation
A. This condition typically results from excessive loss of acid, often due to vomiting or diuretics. It is not the most likely concern in a cold environment with an infant who has been crying and kicking.
B. A cold environment can lead to nonshivering thermogenesis in newborns, where they metabolize brown fat to generate heat. This process can lead to increased lactic acid production, potentially causing metabolic acidosis. The infant's fatigue following crying and kicking may indicate that the body has expended significant energy to stay warm, making metabolic acidosis a priority concern.
C. While hunger could be a reason for crying, it is not the priority concern in this scenario where environmental cold and fatigue are present.
D. Overstimulation might cause crying, but the environmental cold and subsequent risk of metabolic acidosis are more critical concerns in this context.
Correct Answer is B
Explanation
"This is a caput succedaneum, which is a collection of fluid from the pressure of the vacuum extractor.”.
Choice A rationale:
A Mongolian spot is a benign, flat, bluish-gray pigmented area often found on the sacral or gluteal area of some newborns with darker skin tones. It is not related to the swelling on the newborn's head caused by vacuum extraction.
Choice B rationale:
A caput succedaneum is a localized swelling on the baby's scalp that occurs due to pressure from the vacuum extractor during delivery. It is typically soft and may cross the suture lines. This explanation accurately describes the swelling the baby has on his head.
Choice C rationale:
Erythema toxicum is a common rash that appears as small red bumps with white or yellow centers. It is a benign and self-resolving condition that does not cause swelling on the head or involve the suture lines.
Choice D rationale:
A cephalhematoma is a collection of blood between the skull and the periosteum that does not cross the suture lines. It is caused by trauma during birth and may take weeks to months to resolve. This does not match the description of the swelling caused by vacuum extraction.
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