A nurse is assessing a newborn whose mother has gestational diabetes for signs of hypoglycemia.
The nurse should check the newborn’s blood glucose level within how many hours after birth?
One hour
Two hours
Three hours
Four hours
The Correct Answer is A
The correct answer is choice A. The nurse should check the newborn’s blood glucose level within one hour after birth. This is because infants born to mothers with gestational diabetes are at risk of developing hypoglycemia due to increased insulin secretion in response to maternal-fetal hyperglycemia. Hypoglycemia can cause neurological damage and other complications in newborns, so early detection and treatment are essential.
Choice B is wrong because two hours after birth may be too late to prevent or treat hypoglycemia in some infants.
Choice C is wrong because three hours after birth is even later and may increase the risk of adverse outcomes.
Choice D is wrong because four hours after birth is the latest time to check the blood glucose level and may miss some cases of hypoglycemia that occur earlier.
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Correct Answer is D
Explanation
The correct answer is choice D. Seizures.This intervention is necessary to prevent seizures because hypoglycemia can cause brain injury and neurologic impairment in newborns.Seizures are one of the most common signs of hypoglycemia in newborns.
Choice A is wrong because respiratory distress syndrome is caused by a lack of surfactant in the lungs, not by hypoglycemia.
Choice B is wrong because necrotizing enterocolitis is an inflammatory condition of the intestines that affects premature or sick infants, not by hypoglycemia.
Choice C is wrong because intraventricular hemorrhage is a bleeding into the brain ventricles that occurs mainly in very low birth weight infants, not by hypoglycemia.
Correct Answer is D
Explanation
Lispro insulin is a rapid-acting insulin that starts to work within 15 minutes and lasts for 2 to 4 hours.It is used to provide blood glucose control before meals for people with diabetes.A pregnant woman with gestational diabetes who is experiencing symptoms of hyperglycemia needs rapid-acting blood glucose control to prevent complications for herself and her baby.
Choice A is wrong because regular insulin is a short-acting insulin that starts to work within 30 minutes and lasts for 5 to 8 hours.It is not as fast as lispro insulin and may not provide adequate blood glucose control for a pregnant woman with hyperglycemia.
Choice B is wrong because NPH insulin is an intermediate-acting insulin that starts to work within 2 to 4 hours and lasts for 10 to 18 hours.It is used to provide background insulin throughout the day and night, but it is not suitable for rapid-acting blood glucose control.
Choice C is wrong because glargine insulin is a long-acting insulin that starts to work within 1 to 2 hours and lasts for 24 hours.It is used to provide steady insulin levels between meals and overnight, but it is not appropriate for rapid-acting blood glucose control.
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