Question 1

The baby's immune system is not fully developed until:

Accepted Answer

The baby's immune system is not fully developed until the baby is about 6 months of age. Until then, natural passive immunity is provided by the IgG from the mother's bloodstream through the placenta and to the fetus. This level is maintained for several months after birth.

Question 2

A major advantage of breastfeeding, when compared to formula feeding, is that breast milk provides the infant with:

Accepted Answer

A major advantage of breast feeding when compared to formula feeding is that breast milk provides the infant with all five types of protective antibodies and formula does not contain these antibodies.

Question 3

A newborn mother urgent alerts the neonatal intensive care nurse that her neonate is grunting, nasal flaring and subcostal indrawing. The neonatalologist on call is called and diagnosis the neonate as in respiratory distress and orders blood gases to be obtained every 30 minutes. What type of access line should be inserted into this neonate in this situation?

Accepted Answer

The access line that needs to be inserted into this neonate in this situation is an arterial line. For the most accurate measurement of saturation of oxygen, arterial blood is required and thus an arterial line is required to be inserted for constant monitoring of arterial blood gases.

Question 4

A newborn is born in respiratory distress and requires an arterial line placed. Where the arterial oxygen saturation sensor should be placed?

Accepted Answer

The arterial oxygen sensor should be placed on the sole of the foot. This is because this is the most likely place for the sensor to stay on while still providing an accurate oxygen saturation reading.

Question 5

A nurse is assessing a newborn infant who was born to a mother who is addicted to drugs. Which of the following assessment findings would the nurse not expect to note during the assessment of this newborn?

Accepted Answer

A newborn infant born to a woman using drugs is irritable. The infant is easily overloaded by sensory stimulation. The infant may cry incessantly and be difficult to console. The infant would hyperextend and posture rather than cuddle when being held.

Question 6

A 4-day-old newborn infant is receiving phototherapy at home for a bilirubin level of 14 mg/dL. The nurse should plan to include which of the following in the plan of care during the home visit to the mother of the newborn infant?

Accepted Answer

Assessing skin integrity and fluid and electrolyte status of the newborn infant is an essential component of phototherapy. Contact with the newborn infant is important.

Question 7

A nurse is performing an admission assessment on a newborn infant with a diagnosis of spina bifida (meningomyelocele). The nurse assesses for a major symptom associated with this type of spina bifida when the nurse:

Accepted Answer

Newborn infants with spina bifida (meningomyelocele) demonstrate lack of innervation from below the site of the sac that contains the meninges and spinal cord and excess cerebrospinal fluid. They therefore show diminished or no responses to painful in these areas below the sac.

Question 8

A nurse is performing an admission assessment on 6-month-old infant with a diagnosis of hydrocephalus. The nurse assesses for the major sign associated with hydrocephalus when the nurse:

Accepted Answer

In infants with hydrocephalus, the head at an abnormal rate, and the first sign of the disorder may be bulging fontanels without head enlargement. A bulging, tense, and nonpulsatile anterior fontanel indicates an increase in cerebrospinal fluid collection in the cerebral ventricle. A method of assessing fluid collection in the cranial cavity is to palpate the anterior fontanel.

Question 9

The mother of a newborn diagnosed with strabismus was told by the physician that surgery will be necessary to realign the weakened eye muscles. The nurse was asked by the mother if when the surgery might be performed. The most appropriate response is to tell the mother that surgery will be performed:

Accepted Answer

In a child diagnosed with strabismus, surgery may be indicated to realign the weakened eye muscles. It is most often indicated when amblyopia (decrease vision in the deviated eye) is present. The surgery should be performed before the child is 2 years old.

Question 10

The nurse assesses a female newborn. The assessment reveals a decreased amount of soft tissue mass, especially subcutaneous fat. The skin hanging loosely on the extremities is dry and peeling. The fingernails and toenails are long. The nurse knows that based on the newborn's clinical appearance, the age of gestation is more likely:

Accepted Answer

Based on the neonate's clinical appearance, the baby is born post-term. Neonates born after the end of the 42nd week of gestation are considered post-term babies, whereas, neonates born before the 37th week of gestation are premature babies.

Question 11

A nurse preparing a plan of care for a newborn infant with fetal alcohol syndrome (FAS). The nurse would include which of the following priority interventions in the plan of care?

Accepted Answer

A primary nursing goal for the newborn infant diagnosed with FAS is to establish nutritional balance following delivery. These newborn infants may exhibit hyperirritability, vomiting, diarrhea, or an uncoordinated sucking and swallowing ability.

Question 12

Nurse Jane administers erythromycin ointment (0.5%) the newborn infant's eyes. The nurse explains to the mother that this is routinely done to:

Accepted Answer

Erythromycin ophthalmic ointment (Ilotycin ophthalmic) 0.5% is used as a prophylactic treatment for ophthalmia neonatorum, which is caused by the bacterium Neiserria gonorrhoeae. Preventive treatment of gonorrhea is required by law.

Question 13

A nurse prepares to administer a vitamin K injection to a newborn infant. The mother asks the nurse why her newborn infant needs the injection. The best response by the nurse would be:

Accepted Answer

Vitamin K is necessary for the body to synthesize coagulation factors. Vitamin K is administered to the newborn infant to prevent abnormal bleeding. It promotes liver formation of the clotting factors II, VII, IX, and X.

Question 14

A nurse is preparing to administer beractant (Survanta)to a premature infant who has respiratory distress syndrome (hyaline membrane disease). The nurse plans to administer the medication by which of the following routes?

Accepted Answer

Respiratory distress is common in premature neonates and may be due to lung immaturity as a result of surfactant deficiency. The mainstay of treatment is administration of exogenous surfactant. It is administered by the intratracheal route.

Question 15

Vitamin K (AquamMEPHYTON) is prescribed for a neonate. A nurse prepares the medication and selects which muscle site to administer the medication?

Accepted Answer

Vitamin K is administered to the neonate to aid in the production of active prothrombin and to prevent hemorrhagic disease. It is administered in the vastus lateralis muscle.

Question 16

A nurse in monitoring a 3-month-old infant for signs of increased intracranial pressure (ICP). On palapation of the fontanels, the nurse notes that the anterior fontanel is soft and flat. On the basis of this finding, which action should the nurse take next?

Accepted Answer

The nurse would document the finding, since it is normal. The anterior fontanel is diamond shaped and located on the top of the head. It should be soft and flat in a normal infant, and it normally closes by 12 to 18 months of age.

Question 17

The charge nurse of a newborn nursery is providing a teaching session to new employees regarding Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). The charge nurse tells the new employees that SIDS usually occurs during sleep and:

Accepted Answer

SIDS usually occurs during sleep. It most frequently occurs between the second and fourth months of life. It is more common in boys, low-birth-weight infants, and premature.

Question 18

The mother of a newborn male neonate is in the neonatal intensive care unit and his mother is questioning the neonatal care nurse appropriate time frame that she should let her newborn sleep for. What should the neonatal care nurse tell the mother?

Accepted Answer

The neonatal care nurse should explain to the mother that her newborn is not sleep for more than 4 hours at a time. This is because newborns require frequent feedings and nutrition to stay healthy and ensure proper growth and development milestones are met.

Question 19

A mother rushes her newborn male baby into the emergency department stating that he keeps on 'wet burping' and thinks he must be choking. What should the triage nurse do immediately?

Accepted Answer

The triage nurse should immediately burp the newborn, evaluate the feeding techniques and reassure the mother that the condition will improve with time. Frequently burping the newborn along with evaluating the feeding technique to ensure the newborn is not aspirating will assist in reassuring the mother that regurgitation is normal for a newborn and many newborns have it in their first few months of life.

Question 20

A 2-weeks post delivery baby Darren is brought into the emergency department by his mother as she noticed that he has a natal tooth. What should the emergency room nurse do in this situation?

Accepted Answer

The emergency room nurse should first check baby Darren to ensure his tooth is not loose and then if that is the case no intervention is required. A natal tooth is a common occurrence in neonates and no intervention is usually required.

Quiz 3: Development of the Babys Immune System