A nurse is planning care immediately following birth for a newborn who has a myelomeningocele that is leaking cerebrospinal fluid. Which of the following actions should the nurse include in the plan of care?
Monitor the rectal temperature every 4 hr
Administer broad-spectrum antibiotics
Cleanse the site with povidone-iodine
Prepare for surgical closure after 72 hr
The Correct Answer is B
Rationale for A: Monitoring the rectal temperature is important, but every 4 hours may not be frequent enough to assess for signs of infection or other complications in a newborn with myelomeningocele.
Rationale for B: Administering broad-spectrum antibiotics is crucial to prevent infection, especially in cases of myelomeningocele where the protective covering of the spinal cord is compromised.
Rationale for C: Cleansing the site with povidone-iodine is not recommended as it can be irritating and potentially harmful to the delicate tissue surrounding the defect.
Rationale for D: Surgical closure is typically performed as soon as possible after birth, often within 24 hours, rather than delaying it for 72 hours.
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Related Questions
Correct Answer is C
Explanation
This option respects the mother's wishes of not wanting to hold the newborn while also allowing the nurse to provide education on safe and appropriate feeding positions. It also gives the mother the opportunity to learn and practice holding the newborn in a safe way.
Option a, offering to take the newborn to the nursery, may not be necessary as the mother is already offering the baby a botle.
Option b, insisting that the mother pick up the newborn, would not be respectful of her wishes and could potentially damage the trust and rapport between the mother and nurse.
Option d, persuading the client to breastfeed, may not be appropriate or feasible in this situation as it may not be the mother's preferred feeding method and may not address the immediate concern of the newborn being too tired to be held.
Correct Answer is A
Explanation
Hypovolemic shock occurs when there is a significant decrease in the circulating blood volume, which can happen after severe bleeding during childbirth. The body tries to compensate for this decrease in blood volume by constricting blood vessels and increasing heart rate. However, these compensatory mechanisms can only last for a certain amount of time before the body starts to show signs of shock.
One of the hallmark signs of hypovolemic shock is cool, clammy skin, which is caused by the body diverting blood flow away from the skin to maintain perfusion to vital organs. Other common signs and symptoms include tachycardia (fast heart rate), hypotension (low blood pressure), tachypnea (fast breathing rate), decreased urine output, and altered mental status.
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