Newborn Pharmacology and Procedures 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 Newborn Pharmacology and Procedures flashcards as text
A nurse is preparing a newborn for phototherapy to treat hyperbilirubinemia. Which nursing intervention is essential?
Answer: Cover the eyes with opaque eye patches and expose maximum skin surface to the light
Phototherapy works by converting bilirubin in the skin to a water-soluble form for excretion; eye patches protect against retinal damage, and maximum skin exposure increases effectiveness.
Which laboratory test monitors the effectiveness of phototherapy for neonatal jaundice?
Answer: Serial total serum bilirubin (TSB) levels every 4–6 hours during therapy
Serial total serum bilirubin levels guide phototherapy management; if TSB continues to rise despite therapy, exchange transfusion may be needed.
A nurse administers a neonatal blood transfusion. Which finding during the transfusion requires immediately stopping it?
Answer: Temperature rise of 1°C, tachycardia, and increasing respiratory rate
Fever, tachycardia, and increasing respiratory rate during blood transfusion indicate a transfusion reaction; the transfusion must be stopped immediately and the provider notified.
Which method is used to verify placement of a nasogastric (NG) tube in a newborn before feeding?
Answer: Aspirate gastric contents and confirm pH ≤5 along with measuring the external tube length
NG tube placement is verified by pH testing of aspirated gastric contents (pH ≤5 confirms gastric placement) and confirming the external tube length matches pre-insertion measurement.
A preterm newborn at 28 weeks is receiving total parenteral nutrition (TPN). Which complication should the nurse monitor for most closely?
Answer: Hyperglycemia and catheter-related bloodstream infection (CRBSI)
Preterm neonates on TPN are at high risk for hyperglycemia (immature glucose regulation) and CRBSI from central line use; blood glucose and infection signs must be monitored closely.
Which nursing action prevents kernicterus in a newborn with rising bilirubin levels?
Answer: Initiating phototherapy promptly when bilirubin reaches the treatment threshold per nomogram
Prompt initiation of phototherapy when bilirubin reaches the age-specific treatment threshold is the key intervention to prevent bilirubin neurotoxicity (kernicterus).