The nurse is assessing a newborn whose heart rate is 65, respirations are 24, muscle tone is flaccid, reflexes indicate a weak cry, and the color is blue. Which is the appropriate Apgar score for this newborn?

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

The Apgar score is determined by evaluating the newborn on five simple criteria on a scale from zero to two, then summing up the five values thus obtained. The criteria are Appearance (skin color), Pulse (heart rate), Grimace response (reflexes), Activity (muscle tone), and Respiration. For this newborn: Appearance (blue) = 0, Pulse (heart rate 65) = 1, Grimace (weak cry) = 1, Activity (flaccid) = 0, Respiration (24 respirations per minute) = 1. Adding these scores gives a total Apgar score of 3.

The Nurse Is Assessing a Newborn Whose Heart Rate Is