Before applying a cord clamp, the nurse assesses the umbilical cord for vessels. The nurse expects to find: Select one:

Choice A Reason: 3-2-1-0-2. This is an incorrect answer that underestimates the number of pregnancies and overestimates the number of preterm births. The client has had four pregnancies, not three. She has had one preterm birth, not two.

Choice B Reason: 4-1-1-1-3. This is an incorrect answer that overestimates the number of living children. The client has two living children, not three.

Choice C Reason 4-1-1-1-2. This is because the GTPAL method is a way of summarizing a woman's obstetric history using five numbers: G (gravida), T (term births), P (preterm births), A (abortions), and L (living children). Gravida is the number of pregnancies, regardless of outcome. Term births are deliveries after 37 weeks' gestation. Preterm births are deliveries between 20 and 37 weeks' gestation. Abortions are pregnancies that end before 20 weeks' gestation, either spontaneously or electively. Living children are the number of children who are alive at the time of assessment.

Choice D Reason: 4-1-2-0-3. This is an incorrect answer that overestimates the number of preterm births and living children, and underestimates the number of abortions. The client has had one preterm birth, not two. She has had one abortion, not zero. She has two living children, not three.

Choice A Reason: Place the infant skin to skin with the mother and re-check temperature in 30 minutes. This is because skin-to-skin contact is an effective and safe method of increasing the infant's temperature and promoting thermoregulation. Skin-to-skin contact also has other benefits such as enhancing bonding, breastfeeding, and maternal-infant attachment.

Choice B Reason: Check the infant's CBC and blood cultures, as this is a sign of probable sepsis. This is an unnecessary action that may cause undue stress and discomfort to the infant and the mother. A slightly decreased temperature in a full-term infant is not a sign of probable sepsis, but rather a common finding that may be due to environmental factors, such as exposure to cold air or wet linens.

Choice C Reason: Return the infant to the nursery for close observation under warming lights. This is an undesirable action that may interfere with the early initiation of breastfeeding and bonding between the mother and the infant. Warming lights are not recommended for routine use in healthy newborns, as they may cause dehydration, hyperthermia, or eye damage.

Choice D Reason: Notify the physician immediately and suggest orders for placement in an incubator. This is an excessive action that may indicate a lack of knowledge or confidence on the part of the nurse. An incubator is not indicated for a stable, full term infant with a slightly decreased temperature, as it may expose the infant to unnecessary interventions, infections, or separation from the mother.