Chapter 18: Nursing management of the newborn

When the newborn experiences physiologic depression, the characteristics disappear in a predictable manner:

-First the pink coloration is lost, next respiratory effort, then the tone, followed by reflex, irritability, and finally HR

While assessing a newborn, the nurse notes that half the body apprears red white the other half appears pale. The nurse interprets this finding as?

-Harlequin sign.

When assessing a newborn's gestational age, the nurse evaluates which parameter to indicate physical maturity?

-Lanugo -Genitals. rationale: Physical maturity indicators include skin, lanugo, plantar surface, breast, eye-ear, and genitals.

How often do you bath a newborn

-Two of three times per week anything more than that can cause drying of the skin.

The nurse is inspecting the mouth of a newborn and finds small, white cysts on the gums and hard palate. The nurse documents this finding as:

Epstein's pearls.

Most common birth defect that requires screening

Hearing

The nurse assesses a permanent skin variation in a newborn and counsels the parents to monitor it because of its link to potential childhood cancer.

Nevus flammeus - also called port wine stain

A nurse is assessing a newborn's gestational age, when determining neuromuscular maturity, which parameter would the nurse most likely assess?

- Arm recoil -Scarf sign *NOT POSTURE

Skin variations in newborns:

- Harlequin sign refers to the dilation of blood vessels on only one side of the body. Stork bites are superficial vascular areas found on the nape of the neck, eyelids, between the eyes and upper lips. Mongolian spots are blue of purple splotches that appear on the lower back and buttocks (normal in dark-skinned babies). Erythema toxic is a benign, rash.

Typical newborn findings:

Weight: 2,700 to 4,000 grams Head Circumference: 30 to 33 cm Temperature: 97.7 F-99

When auscultating a newborn's heart, the nurse would place the stethoscope at which area to auscultate the point of maximal impulse:

lateral to the midclavicular line at the fourth intercostal space is the PMI