Exam 16: Physiologic and Behavioral Adaptations of the Newborn

A first-time father is changing the diaper of his 1-day-old daughter. He asks the nurse, "What is this black, sticky stuff in her diaper?" The nurse's best response is:

By knowing about variations in infants' blood count, nurses can explain to their patients that:

A newborn is placed under a radiant heat warmer, and the nurse evaluates the infant's body temperature every hour. Maintaining the newborn's body temperature is important for preventing:

A new mother states that her infant must be cold because the baby's hands and feet are blue. The nurse explains that this is a common and temporary condition called:

While evaluating the reflexes of a newborn, the nurse notes that with a loud noise the newborn symmetrically abducts and extends his arms, his fingers fan out and form a "C" with the thumb and forefinger, and he has a slight tremor. The nurse would document this finding as a positive:

What are modes of heat loss in the newborn? Choose all that apply.

One reason hyperthermia develops more rapidly in the newborn than in the adult is that sweat glands have not formed yet.

The nurse assessing a newborn knows that the most critical physiologic change required of the newborn is:

With regard to the functioning of the renal system in newborns, nurses should be aware that:

With regard to the newborn's developing cardiovascular system, nurses should be aware that:

Part of the health assessment of a newborn is observing the infant's breathing pattern. A full-term newborn's breathing pattern is predominantly:

An examiner who discovers unequal movement or uneven gluteal skinfolds during the Ortolani maneuver would then:

A collection of blood between the skull bone and its periosteum is known as a cephalhematoma. To reassure the new parents whose infant develops such a soft bulge, it is important that the nurse be aware that this condition:

While assessing the integument of a 24-hour-old newborn, the nurse notes a pink, papular rash with vesicles superimposed on the thorax, back, and abdomen. The nurse should:

The parents of a newborn ask the nurse how much the newborn can see. The parents specifically want to know what type of visual stimuli they should provide for their newborn. The nurse responds to the parents by telling them:

An African-American woman noticed some bruises on her newborn girl's buttocks. She asks the nurse who spanked her daughter. The nurse explains that these marks are called:

A woman gave birth to a healthy 7-pound, 13-ounce infant girl. The nurse suggests that the woman place the infant to her breast within 15 minutes after birth. The nurse knows that breastfeeding is effective during the first 30 minutes after birth because this is the:

The nurse caring for the newborn should be aware that the sensory system least mature at the time of birth is:

The cheeselike, whitish substance that fuses with the epidermis and serves as a protective coating is called:

One reason the brain is vulnerable to nutritional deficiencies and trauma in early infancy is the: