Neonatal Assessment and Immediate Care Flashcards
6 cards from real Maternal Newborn Nursing Test practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 6 Neonatal Assessment and Immediate Care flashcards as text
A nurse is preparing to give a newborn the first bath. Which condition must be met before the bath is given?
Answer: The newborn's temperature must be stable at 36.5°C or above for at least 1 hour
Bathing is delayed until the newborn's temperature is stable (≥36.5°C) to prevent cold stress and hypothermia; WHO recommends delaying the first bath ≥24 hours.
Which newborn screening test, performed before hospital discharge, detects critical congenital heart defects (CCHD)?
Answer: Pulse oximetry screening on the right hand and either foot
CCHD screening uses pulse oximetry on the right hand (preductal) and one foot (postductal); a difference >3% or reading <95% warrants further evaluation.
A nurse assesses a large bruise over the occiput of a newborn's head that does not cross the suture line and is firm to touch. This finding is consistent with which condition?
Answer: Cephalhematoma
Cephalhematoma is a collection of blood between the periosteum and skull bone that does not cross suture lines, is firm to palpation, and appears within hours after birth.
Which finding in a newborn's urinary output during the first 48 hours is a concern for dehydration?
Answer: Fewer than 1–2 wet diapers in 24 hours
Fewer than 1–2 wet diapers in the first 24–48 hours indicates inadequate fluid intake and possible dehydration, especially in breastfed infants.
A nurse notes a white, cheese-like substance covering a newborn's skin. What is this substance and what should the nurse do?
Answer: Vernix caseosa — leave it in place as it protects the skin and promotes colonization with beneficial bacteria
Vernix caseosa is a protective biofilm that moisturizes newborn skin, has antimicrobial properties, and should be left in place or gently massaged into the skin.
Which assessment finding in a male newborn requires notification of the provider?
Answer: Undescended testicle (cryptorchidism)
Cryptorchidism requires provider notification and follow-up as undescended testes that do not descend by 6 months require surgical intervention (orchiopexy) to prevent infertility and malignancy.