A nurse is assisting in the care of a newborn following birth. At 1 min after birth, the nurse notes the following: heart rate 110/min; slow, weak cry; some flexion of extremities; responds to suctioning of the nares with respiration of 20; body pink in color with blue extremities.
What should the nurse document as the newborn's 1-min Apgar score?
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The Correct Answer is A
A nurse is assisting in the care of a newborn following birth. At 1 min after birth, the nurse notes the following: heart rate 110/min; slow, weak cry; some flexion of extremities; responds to suctioning of the nares with respiration of 20; body pink in color with blue extremities. What should the nurse document as the newborn's 1-min Apgar score? The correct answer is choice B: 7.
Choice A rationale:
Apgar scores are determined by assessing five vital signs in a newborn at 1 and 5 minutes after birth. The vital signs are heart rate, respiratory effort, muscle tone, reflex irritability, and color. Each category is scored from 0 to 2, with 2 being the best score. In this case, the heart rate is 1, the respiratory effort is 1, muscle tone is 1, reflex irritability is 2 (as the newborn responds to suctioning), and color is 2 (as the body is pink). Therefore, the total Apgar score is 7 (1 + 1 + 1 + 2 + 2 = 7).
Choice B rationale:
The heart rate at 1 minute is 110 beats per minute, which is considered normal for a newborn. A slow, weak cry suggests some respiratory effort, which is given a score of 1 on the Apgar scale. Some flexion of extremities also indicates moderate muscle tone and receives a score of 1. Responding to suctioning with respiration indicates good reflex irritability, which is given a score of 2. The body being pink in color is a positive sign for oxygenation and receives a score of 2. Adding up these scores (1 + 1 + 2 + 2) equals 7, which is the 1-minute Apgar score.
Choice C rationale:
Apgar scores are not determined based on gestational age; they focus on the newborn's immediate condition. While gestational age can influence a newborn's health, it is not directly factored into the Apgar score.
Choice D rationale:
The Apgar score is not related to the mother's condition or complications during pregnancy, such as placenta previa. It solely evaluates the newborn's condition at 1 and 5 minutes after birth.
Choice E rationale:
The Apgar score is a quick assessment of the newborn's physical condition and does not consider issues like the mother's gestational diabetes. It focuses on the baby's vital signs and physical appearance to gauge overall well-being.
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Correct Answer is B
Explanation
Choice A rationale:
The nurse should prioritize the client's needs based on the severity of their condition. A client scheduled for discharge in 2 hours following a laparoscopic tubal ligation is generally stable and not in immediate need of care. Discharge planning can be done later.
Choice B rationale:
A client who experienced a cesarean birth 4 hours ago and reports pain requires immediate attention. Pain is a subjective symptom that should be addressed promptly to ensure the client's comfort and well-being. Uncontrolled pain can lead to complications and negatively affect the client's overall recovery.
Choice C rationale:
A client with preeclampsia and a blood pressure of 138/90 mm Hg is a concerning situation, but it is not the top priority in this scenario. Preeclampsia requires monitoring and intervention, but the client who just had a cesarean birth and is experiencing pain should be attended to first.
Choice D rationale:
A client who experienced a vaginal birth 24 hours ago and reports no bleeding is not a high-priority concern. Some clients may have minimal bleeding or none at all after a vaginal birth, and this can be normal. The absence of bleeding alone does not warrant immediate attention.
Correct Answer is B
Explanation
The correct answer is choice b. Drying the newborn’s skin thoroughly.
Choice A rationale:
Maintaining ambient room temperature at 24° C (75° F) helps in reducing overall heat loss but does not specifically address evaporative heat loss. Evaporative heat loss occurs when moisture on the skin evaporates, cooling the skin.
Choice B rationale:
Drying the newborn’s skin thoroughly reduces evaporative heat loss by removing moisture that can evaporate and cool the skin. This is a critical action immediately after birth when the newborn is wet with amniotic fluid.
Choice C rationale:
Preventing air drafts helps reduce convective heat loss, not evaporative heat loss. Convective heat loss occurs when air currents carry heat away from the body.
Choice D rationale:
Placing the newborn on a warm surface helps reduce conductive heat loss, which occurs when the newborn’s body comes into contact with a cooler surface. This does not specifically address evaporative heat loss.
By thoroughly drying the newborn’s skin, the nurse effectively minimizes evaporative heat loss, ensuring the newborn maintains a stable body temperature.
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