To provide optimal care of infants born to mothers who are ...

[newyorker26]

To provide optimal care of infants born to mothers who are substance abusers, nurses should be aware that:
 
  a. Infants born to addicted mothers are also addicted.
  b. Mothers who abuse one substance likely will use or abuse another, thus compounding the infant's difficulties.
  c. The NICU Network Neurobehavioral Scale (NNNS) is designed to assess the damage the mother has done to herself.
  d. No laboratory procedures are available that can identify the intrauterine drug exposure of the infant.

Question 2

While completing a newborn assessment, the nurse should be aware that the most common birth injury is:
 
  a. To the soft tissues.
  b. Caused by forceps gripping the head on delivery.
  c. Fracture of the humerus and femur.
  d. Fracture of the clavicle.

[SVictor]

Answer to Question 1

ANS: B
Multiple substance use (even just alcohol and tobacco) makes it difficult to assess the problems of the exposed infant, particularly with regard to withdrawal manifestations. Infants of substance-abusing mothers may have some of the physiologic signs but are not addicted in the behavioral sense. Drug-exposed newborn is a more accurate description than addict. The NNNS is designed to assess the neurologic, behavioral, and stress/abstinence function of the neonate. Newborn urine, hair, or meconium sampling may be used to identify an infant's intrauterine drug exposure.

Answer to Question 2

ANS: D
The most common birth injury is fracture of the clavicle (collarbone). It usually heals without treatment, although the arm and shoulder may be immobilized for comfort.