The home care nurse is planning an initial visit to a family ...

[notis]

The home care nurse is planning an initial visit to a family whose infant delivered at 35 weeks and developed respiratory distress syndrome. What should the nurse base her planning on?
 
  1. Parents were involved with care throughout the infant's hospitalization.
  2. The attachment process will have developed the same as with an infant at term.
  3. This infant has the same risk factors for developing infections as does a term infant.
  4. Risks for cognitive or emotional or developmental delays are low.

Question 2

One day after giving birth vaginally, a client develops painful vesicular lesions on her perineum and vulva. She is diagnosed with a primary herpes simplex II infection. The expected care for her neonate includes:
 
  1. Meticulous handwashing and antibiotic eye ointment administration.
  2. Intravenous acyclovir (Zovirax) and contact precautions.
  3. Cultures of blood and CSF and serial chest x-rays every 12 hours.
  4. Parental rooming-in and four intramuscular injections of penicillin.

[mfedorka]

Answer to Question 1

1
Rationale:
1. It is common for parents of sick infants to be encouraged to perform infant care throughout the hospital stay, including staying overnight the last few nights before discharge.
2. Attachment is often delayed with sick newborns, and the parents must grieve the loss of the perfect term infant before they can begin the attachment process.
3. Infants born prematurely who develop respiratory distress are at an increased risk for RSV and other respiratory infections throughout their childhood.
4. Due to multiple factors, including delayed attachment and the disease process itself, infants who are premature or sick are at risk for cognitive, emotional, intellectual, and developmental delays.

Answer to Question 2

2
Rationale:
1. Although meticulous handwashing by staff and parents is important, antibiotic eye ointment is used for conjunctivitis of gonorrhea or Chlamydia.
2. These are appropriate cares for an infant at risk for developing herpes simplex II infection.
3. These cultures are appropriate, but chest x-rays are not indicated. Chest x-rays are obtained if the neonate is thought to have group B strep pneumonia.
4. Parental rooming-in is encouraged, but penicillin does not treat viral illness. Penicillin is the drug of choice for syphilis infections.