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
Digoxin is a medication that helps improve the pumping function of the heart and reduces fluid retention in the lungs and other tissues. It is commonly used to treat congestive heart failure in infants.
Choice A is wrong because weighing the infant every day on the same scale at the same time is a way to monitor fluid balance, not an intervention to treat excess fluid volume.
Choice B is wrong because notifying the physician when weight gain exceeds more than 20 g/day is also a monitoring measure, not an intervention. Moreover, weight gain may not accurately reflect fluid volume status in some patients with heart failure due to poor nutrition and decreased appetite.
Choice C is wrong because putting the infant in a car seat to minimize movement may worsen the respiratory distress and increase the workload of the heart. The infant should be positioned in a semi-Fowler’s or Fowler’s position to facilitate breathing and reduce venous return.
Correct Answer is B
Explanation
If a child has acute epiglottitis, examination of the throat may cause complete obstruction and should be performed only when immediate intubation can take place.
This is because the inflamed epiglottis can block the airway and cause respiratory distress or failure.
Choice A is wrong because inspiratory stridor is a sign of upper airway obstruction that is aggravated when a child with epiglottitis is supine.
It is not caused by examining the throat with a tongue depressor.
Choice C is wrong because sore throat and pain on swallowing are early signs of epiglottitis, not precipitated by examining the throat with a tongue depressor.
Choice D is wrong because respiratory tract infection is the cause of epiglottitis, not a symptom or condition that is precipitated by examining the throat with a tongue depressor.
Epiglottitis is caused by H. influenzae in the respiratory tract.
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