Nurses can prevent evaporative heat loss in the newborn by:
Drying the baby after birth and wrapping the baby in a dry blanket.
Keeping the baby out of drafts and away from air conditioners.
Placing the baby away from the outside wall and the windows.
Warming the stethoscope and the nurse’s hands before touching the baby.
The Correct Answer is A
Drying the baby after birth and wrapping the baby in a dry blanket
This prevents evaporative heat loss, which occurs when water on the skin surface evaporates and cools the skin. Evaporative heat loss is especially significant in newborns because they are wet at birth and have a large surface area relative to their body mass.
Choice B is wrong because it addresses convective heat loss, which occurs when air currents blow over the skin and carry away heat.
Convective heat loss can be prevented by keeping the baby out of drafts and away from air conditioners.
Choice C is wrong because it addresses radiant heat loss, which occurs when heat radiates from the skin to cooler objects in the environment.
Radiant heat loss can be prevented by placing the baby away from the outside wall and the windows.
Choice D is wrong because it addresses conductive heat loss, which occurs when heat transfers from the skin to cooler objects in contact with the skin.
Conductive heat loss can be prevented by warming the stethoscope and the nurse’s hands before touching the baby.
Normal body temperature for a newborn is 36.5°C to 37.5°C (97.7°F to 99.5°F).
Nursing Test Bank
Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams
Related Questions
Correct Answer is D
Explanation
choice D. Make a follow-up home visit to parents as soon as possible after the infant’s death. This is because a competent, qualified professional should visit the family at home as soon as possible after the death and provide the family with printed information about SIDS.
Choice A is wrong because explaining how SIDS could have been predicted and prevented is inappropriate.
SIDS cannot be prevented or predicted. Discussions about the cause will only increase parental guilt.
Choice B is wrong because the parents should be asked only factual questions to determine the cause of death. Interviewing parents in-depth concerning the circumstances surrounding the infant’s death may be intrusive and stressful.
Choice C is wrong because parents should be allowed and encouraged to make a last visit with their infant. Discouraging parents from making a last visit with the infant may deprive them of an opportunity to say goodbye and grieve.
Correct Answer is A
Explanation
choice A. Surfactant improves the ability of your baby’s lungs to exchange oxygen and carbon dioxide.
Surfactant is a substance that coats the inner surface of the alveoli, the tiny air sacs in the lungs.
It reduces the surface tension of the alveoli and prevents them from collapsing during exhalation.
Premature infants often lack enough surfactant, which leads to respiratory distress syndrome (RDS).
Artificial surfactant is given to these infants to help them breathe more easily. Choice B is wrong because surfactant has nothing to do with sedation.
Sedation is a state of reduced consciousness induced by drugs. Surfactant does not affect the level of consciousness of the infant.
Choice C is wrong because surfactant is not used to reduce episodes of periodic apnea.
Periodic apnea is a condition where the infant stops breathing for a short time, usually due to immature brainstem function.
Surfactant does not affect the brainstem or the control of breathing.
Choice D is wrong because surfactant is not used to fight a possible respiratory tract infection. Surfactant does not have any antibacterial or antiviral properties.
Surfactant is used to treat RDS, which is caused by a lack of surfactant, not by an infection.
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