The Apgar score of a newborn 5 minutes after birth is 8. Which is ...

[RRMR]

The Apgar score of a newborn 5 minutes after birth is 8. Which is the nurse's best interpretation of this?
 
  a. Resuscitation is likely to be needed.
  b. Adjustment to extrauterine life is adequate.
  c. Additional scoring in 5 more minutes is needed.
  d. Maternal sedation or analgesia contributed to the low score.

Question 2

A nurse notes that a 12-hour-old newborn has not had the first meconium stool. The nurse documents this finding and continues to monitor the newborn because, in term newborns, the first meconium stool occurs within how many hours of birth?
 
  a. 6 to 8
  b. 8 to 12
  c. 12 to 24
  d. 24 to 48

[mathjasmine]

Answer to Question 1

ANS: B
The Apgar reflects the newborn's status in five areas: heart rate, respiratory effort, muscle tone, reflex irritability, and color. Scores of 7 to 10 indicate an absence of difficulty adjusting to extrauterine life. Scores of 0 to 3 indicate severe distress, and scores of 4 to 6 indicate moderate difficulty. The Apgar score is not used to determine the newborn's need for resuscitation at birth. All newborns are rescored at 5 minutes. The newborn does not have a low score.

Answer to Question 2

ANS: D
The first meconium stool should occur within the first 24 to 48 hours. It may be delayed up to 7 days in very lowbirth-weight newborns. Although it may occur earlier, the expected range is the first 24 to 48 hours of life.