The nurse is reading the results of non-stress test (NST) strips completed that day. Which of the following strips meets the criteria for a reactive NST? Select one:

Choice A Reason: Taking the newborn to the nursery for the initial assessment. This is an ineffective intervention that disrupts parental atachment by separating the mother and the newborn. It also deprives the newborn of the benefits of skin to skin contact and breastfeeding.

Choice B Reason: Allowing the mother a chance to rest without the baby immediately after delivery. This is an unnecessary intervention that delays parental atachment by postponing the first contact between the mother and the newborn. It also ignores the mother's desire and readiness to hold and feed her baby.

Choice C Reason: Placing the newborn under a radiant warmer to do the initial assessment. This is an outdated intervention that hinders parental atachment by creating a physical barrier between the mother and the newborn. It also exposes the newborn to potential risks such as dehydration, hyperthermia, or eye damage.

Choice D Reason: Placing the newborn on the maternal abdomen and doing the initial assessment. This is because this intervention facilitates skin to skin contact, eye contact, and bonding between the mother and the newborn. It also enhances breastfeeding initiation, thermoregulation, and maternal-infant atachment.

Choice A Reason: Hyperglycemia and increased appetite. This is an incorrect answer that describes symptoms of diabetes mellitus, not sepsis. Diabetes mellitus is a chronic metabolic disorder where the body cannot produce or use insulin effectively, which results in high blood glucose levels and impaired glucose tolerance. Diabetes mellitus can affect newborns if the mother has pre-existing or gestational diabetes, which can cause macrosomia, hypoglycemia, or congenital anomalies.

Choice B Reason: Increased urinary output and spitting up mucous. This is an incorrect answer that indicates normal or benign conditions, not sepsis. Increased urinary output is a normal finding in newborns, as they eliminate the excess fluid that was accumulated during pregnancy. Spitting up mucous is a common occurrence in newborns, as they clear their airways of amniotic fluid or secretions.

Choice C Reason: Wakefulness and ruddy appearance. This is an incorrect answer that suggests healthy or normal characteristics, not sepsis. Wakefulness is a sign of alertness and responsiveness in newborns, which reflects their neurological development and adaptation. Ruddy appearance is a reddish color of the skin that is normal in newborns, especially in term or post-term infants, which indicates adequate oxygenation and hemoglobin levels.

Choice D Reason: Temperature instability and lethargy. This is because temperature instability and lethargy are common signs of sepsis in newborns, which indicate systemic infection and inflammation. Sepsis is a life-threatening condition where the body's response to infection causes tissue damage, organ failure, or death. Sepsis can occur in newborns due to maternal, fetal, or neonatal factors, such as chorioamnionitis, premature rupture of membranes, prolonged labor, invasive procedures, or bacterial colonization.