A newborn baby has a calcium level of 7.1 mg/dL. What information ...

[jayhills49]

A newborn baby has a calcium level of 7.1 mg/dL. What information should the nurse provide the parents?
 
  A.
  Low calcium can cause high blood sugars.
  B.
  Postterm babies are most at risk for this condition.
  C.
  The level will be rechecked at 72 hours.
  D.
  Your baby needs to have a magnesium level check.

Question 2

The nurse caring for small-for-gestational-age (SGA) infants assesses them for attainment of outcomes related to nursing diagnoses. Which assessment finding best demonstrates attainment of priority outcomes?
 
  A.
  Body temperature of 97.5 F (36.4  C)
  B.
  Gains weight regularly
  C.
  Parents visit daily
  D.
  Skin remains intact

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Answer to Question 1

ANS: C
Hypocalcemia is a blood calcium level below 7.5 mg/dL. Calcium levels are lowest at 24-48 hours after birth; if levels remain low at 72 hours, the baby needs calcium supplements. The nurse should advise the parents that the level will be checked again at 72 hours. Hypocalcemia is often accompanied by hypoglycemia, but is not related to magnesium levels. Babies at risk for hypocalcemia include those whose mothers are diabetic, preterm newborns, and newborns with perinatal asphyxia.

Answer to Question 2

ANS: B
The SGA infant has several important nursing diagnoses, including risk for activity intolerance related to increased metabolic needs, risk for ineffective feeding pattern related to increased metabolic need, and nutritional imbalance related to hypoglycemia. The fact that this infant is gaining weight demonstrates that he or she is meeting outcomes related to all three diagnoses. A body temperature of 97.5 F is too cool for removal of the baby from the incubator. Parental involvement may indicate no unmet psychosocial needs on their part, but physical diagnoses take precedence over psychosocial ones. Intact skin is a good finding, but risk for impaired skin integrity would not be a higher priority than the other three.