Author Question: A multiparous patient arrives to the labor unit and urgently states, The baby is coming RIGHT NOW ... (Read 38 times)

azncindy619 · **on:** Jun 28, 2018

A multiparous patient arrives to the labor unit and urgently states, The baby is coming RIGHT NOW The nurse assists the patient into a comfortable position and delivers the infant.

To prevent infant heat loss from conduction, what is the priority nursing action?

a. Dry the baby off.
b. Turn up the temperature in the patient's room.
c. Pour warmed water over the baby immediately after birth.
d. Place the baby on the patient's abdomen after the cord is cut.

Question 2

Which action by the nurse can cause hyperthermia in the newborn?

a. Placing a cap on the newborn
b. Wrapping the newborn in a warm blanket
c. Placing the newborn in a skin to skin position with the mother
d. Placing the newborn in the radiant warmer without attaching the skin probe

jomama · **Reply #1 on:** Jun 28, 2018

Answer to Question 1

ANS: D
Movement of heat away from the body occurs when newborns have direct contact with objects that are cooler than their skin. Placing infants on cold surfaces or touching them with cool objects causes this type of heat loss. The reverse is also true; contact with warm objects increases body heat by conduction. Warming objects that will touch the infant or placing the unclothed infant against the mother's skin (skin to skin) helps prevent conductive heat loss. Drying the baby off helps prevent heat loss through evaporation. Adjusting the temperature in the patient's room helps with heat loss through convection. Pouring warm water over a baby occurs with the first bath, which is conducted after the baby's temperature has stabilized. Pouring warm water over the baby prior to that time will increase heat loss through evaporation.

Answer to Question 2

ANS: D
Newborns may be overheated by poorly regulated equipment designed to keep them warm. When radiant warmers, warming lights, or warmed incubators are used, the temperature mechanism must be set to vary the heat according to the infant's skin temperature; this prevents too much or too little heat. Alarms to signal that the infant's temperature is too high or too low should be functioning properly. If the skin probe is not used, the alarms will not function properly. Putting a hat on the newborn, wrapping the newborn in a warm blanket, or placing the newborn skin to skin with the mother will not cause hyperthermia.