The purpose of surfactant is to?
Provide a heat source for the newborn.
Assist the alveoli to remain open.
Assist the ductus arteriosus to remain open.
Provide energy to the newborn.
The Correct Answer is B
Choice A rationale:
Providing a heat source for the newborn is not the purpose of surfactant. Surfactant is a substance produced in the lungs to reduce surface tension and prevent alveolar collapse during expiration. It helps with the exchange of gases, but it does not generate heat.
Choice B rationale:
This is the correct answer. Surfactant plays a crucial role in assisting the alveoli to remain open by reducing surface tension. This, in turn, allows for proper gas exchange, especially of oxygen and carbon dioxide.
Choice C rationale:
Assisting the ductus arteriosus to remain open is not the purpose of surfactant. The ductus arteriosus is a fetal blood vessel that connects the pulmonary artery to the aorta, bypassing the lungs. After birth, it should close on its own, and surfactant does not influence this process.
Choice D rationale:
Providing energy to the newborn is not the purpose of surfactant. Energy for the newborn comes from nutrition, particularly breast milk or formula, and not from surfactant
Nursing Test Bank
Naxlex Comprehensive Predictor Exams
Related Questions
Correct Answer is A
Explanation
Choice A rationale:
This is the priority finding because a bilirubin level of 18 mg/dL in a 4-hour-old newborn is significantly elevated. High bilirubin levels in newborns can lead to jaundice, which can be harmful if not promptly addressed. Hyperbilirubinemia in newborns requires close monitoring and, in some cases, treatment with phototherapy.
Choice B rationale:
A hemoglobin level of 22 g/dL is within the normal range for a newborn and is not a priority concern at this time.
Choice C rationale:
A blood glucose level of 50 mg/dL is within the normal range for a newborn. While monitoring blood glucose levels is essential, it is not the priority in this situation.
Choice D rationale:
A platelet count of 200,000/mm³ is within the normal range for a newborn and does not require immediate action.
Correct Answer is B
Explanation
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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