After the birth of a newborn, which action would the nurse do first to assist in thermoregulation?
Wrap the newborn in a blanket.
Put a hat on the newborn's head.
Check the newborn's temperature.
Dry the newborn thoroughly.
The Correct Answer is D
A. Wrap the newborn in a blanket helps maintain body heat after the initial drying and stimulation but is not the first priority in thermoregulation.
B. Put a hat on the newborn's head also helps prevent heat loss, particularly from the head, which is a major site of heat loss in newborns. However, this should be done after drying to avoid trapping moisture.
C. Check the newborn's temperature is important but should be done after immediate measures to prevent heat loss have been taken.
D. Dry the newborn thoroughly is the first and most critical step in preventing evaporative heat loss, which is the primary cause of newborn heat loss immediately after birth. Removing wet amniotic fluid from the skin helps stabilize temperature effectively.
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Related Questions
Correct Answer is D
Explanation
A. "Let me check your vaginal discharge just to make sure everything is fine." While it's important to monitor for abnormal discharge (such as signs of infection or retained placental tissue), this response does not address the cause of the contractions, which are a normal postpartum occurrence.
B. "Your body is responding to the events of labor, just like after a tough workout." This statement doesn't accurately explain the specific cause of the contractions, which are related to hormonal changes after childbirth rather than residual effects of labor itself.
C. "Your uterus is still shrinking in size; that's why you're feeling this pain." While it’s true that the uterus is shrinking (involution), the primary reason for the contraction-like pain is the release of oxytocin during breastfeeding, not simply the shrinking of the uterus.
D. "The baby's sucking releases a hormone that causes the uterus to contract." This is the correct answer. When a newborn suckles at the breast, it stimulates the release of oxytocin, a hormone that causes the uterus to contract. These contractions are known as "afterpains" and are more common in women who have had multiple pregnancies. They help the uterus return to its normal size after delivery.
Correct Answer is B
Explanation
A. Convection is the loss of heat due to air or fluid movement around the body. While keeping the newborn warm in a draft-free area can help with this, the blanket on the scale primarily addresses heat loss through contact with the cold surface.
B. Conduction occurs when heat is transferred from the baby’s body to a cooler surface that it comes into direct contact with, like the cold scale. By placing a warmed blanket on the scale, the nurse minimizes heat loss due to conduction, ensuring the baby stays warm.
C. Radiation involves heat transfer to cooler objects nearby, but a warmed blanket on the scale does not directly address heat loss through radiation.
D. Evaporation occurs when moisture on the skin evaporates, taking heat away. A warmed blanket would not primarily address evaporation; it’s meant to prevent conduction heat loss.
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