The nurse is teaching a prenatal class and illustrating some of the basic events that will happen right after the birth. The nurse should point out which action will best help the infant maintain an adequate body temperature.
Turn the temperature up in the birth room.
Bathe the infant immediately after birth.
Place the infant on the mother's abdomen after birth.
Wrap the infant in a warm, dry blanket.
The Correct Answer is C
Place the infant on the mother's abdomen after birth. This will help the infant maintain an adequate body temperature by providing skin-to-skin contact with the mother, which reduces heat loss and promotes bonding. Skin-to-skin contact also stimulates the baby's natural feeding cues and helps initiate breastfeeding.
Choice A is not correct because turning up the temperature in the birth room may not be enough to prevent heat loss from the infant, especially if they are wet or exposed to cold surfaces. It may also make the mother uncomfortable or dehydrated.
Choice B is not correct because bathing the infant immediately after birth may increase heat loss from evaporation and conduction. It may also interfere with the baby's natural protective coating (vernix) and microbiome. Bathing should be delayed until at least 24 hours after birth.
Choice D is not correct because wrapping the infant in a warm, dry blanket may not provide the same benefits as skin-to-skin contact with the mother. It may also prevent the baby from smelling and seeing the mother's breast, which are important cues for breastfeeding initiation.
Nursing Test Bank
Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams
Related Questions
Correct Answer is A
Explanation
This action helps to prevent cold stress. This is because cold stress is a condition where the newborn's core temperature drops below 36.5°C and they use energy and oxygen to generate warmth. This can lead to hypoglycemia, metabolic acidosis, hypoxia, and an increased risk of infection.
Placing the newborn under a radiant warmer provides thermal stability and prevents heat loss by radiation.
Choice B is wrong because thermogenesis is the process of heat production, not a complication.
Choice C is wrong because shivering is a mechanism of heat production in adults, not in newborns.
Choice D is wrong because brown fat production is a normal feature of newborns that helps them generate heat by lipolysis.
Here is an image of a newborn under a radiant warmer.
Correct Answer is D
Explanation
Injecting the medication into the vastus lateralis. This is because the vastus lateralis is a large muscle in the thigh that is suitable for intramuscular injections in newborns³. The vitamin K injection helps prevent vitamin K deficiency bleeding, which is a rare but serious condition that can cause bleeding in the brain or other organs¹. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends that all newborns receive a single intramuscular dose of 0.5 to 1 mg of vitamin K within one hour of birth².
Choice A is wrong because a 21 gauge needle is too large for a newborn's muscle. A 25 or 27 gauge needle is more appropriate.
Choice B is wrong because injecting at a 45-degree angle may not reach the muscle tissue. A 90-degree angle is more appropriate.
Choice C is wrong because injecting 1cc of medication is too much for a newborn's muscle. The recommended dose of vitamin K is 0.5 to 1 mg, which is equivalent to 0.05 to 0.1 mL.
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