NRP Thermoregulation and Temperature Management 1 — Questions and Answers
Question 1: What is the recommended delivery room temperature for resuscitation of a term newborn according to NRP guidelines?
- 18-20°C (64-68°F)
- 23-25°C (74-77°F) (Correct answer)
- 28-30°C (82-86°F)
- 32-34°C (90-93°F)
Correct answer: 23-25°C (74-77°F)
NRP guidelines recommend maintaining delivery room temperature at 23-25°C (74-77°F) to minimize heat loss in term newborns during resuscitation.
Question 2: Which mechanism of heat loss is MOST significant immediately after birth when an infant is wet from amniotic fluid?
- Conduction
- Convection
- Radiation
- Evaporation (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Evaporation
Evaporation of amniotic fluid from the skin surface is the primary and most rapid mechanism of heat loss immediately after birth.
Question 3: What is the normal axillary temperature range for a healthy newborn?
- 35.0-36.0°C (95.0-96.8°F)
- 36.5-37.5°C (97.7-99.5°F) (Correct answer)
- 37.5-38.5°C (99.5-101.3°F)
- 38.5-39.5°C (101.3-103.1°F)
Correct answer: 36.5-37.5°C (97.7-99.5°F)
Normal axillary temperature for a newborn is 36.5-37.5°C (97.7-99.5°F), defining the normothermia range used in neonatal care.
Question 4: For infants born at less than 32 weeks' gestation, which intervention is specifically recommended by NRP to prevent heat loss in the delivery room?
- Warm towels changed every 2 minutes
- Double-walled incubator immediately at birth
- Polyethylene plastic bag or wrap (Correct answer)
- Warmed IV fluids administered at birth
Correct answer: Polyethylene plastic bag or wrap
NRP recommends placing preterm infants <32 weeks into a polyethylene plastic bag or wrap without drying to reduce evaporative heat loss.
Question 5: According to WHO, neonatal hypothermia is defined as a body temperature below:
- 37.0°C (98.6°F)
- 36.5°C (97.7°F) (Correct answer)
- 36.0°C (96.8°F)
- 35.5°C (95.9°F)
Correct answer: 36.5°C (97.7°F)
WHO defines neonatal hypothermia as an axillary or rectal temperature below 36.5°C (97.7°F), the lower boundary of the normal range.
Question 6: What is the FIRST action to prevent heat loss in a vigorous term newborn immediately after birth?
- Place the infant under a prewarmed radiant warmer
- Dry the infant and remove wet linens (Correct answer)
- Wrap in a polyethylene plastic bag
- Apply a chemical warming mattress
Correct answer: Dry the infant and remove wet linens
Drying the infant and immediately removing wet linens eliminates the primary source of evaporative heat loss in term newborns.
Question 7: Which mechanism of heat loss does a radiant warmer primarily counteract?
- Evaporation
- Conduction
- Convection
- Radiation (Correct answer)
Correct answer: Radiation
A radiant warmer emits infrared radiant heat to counteract radiation heat loss, which occurs when the infant's body radiates heat to cooler surrounding surfaces.
NRP Thermoregulation and Temperature Management 1
What is the recommended delivery room temperature for resuscitation of a term newborn according to NRP guidelines?