A multiparous patient arrives to the labor unit and urgently states, "The baby is coming RIGHT NOW!" The nurse assists the patient into a comfortable position and delivers the infant. To prevent infant heat loss from conduction, what is the priority nursing action?
A) Dry the baby off.
B) Turn up the temperature in the patient's room.
C) Pour warmed water over the baby immediately after birth.
D) Place the baby on the patient's abdomen after the cord is cut.

Question

Quizplus · Accepted Answer

Movement of heat away from the body occurs when newborns have direct contact with objects that are cooler than their skin. Placing infants on cold surfaces or touching them with cool objects causes this type of heat loss. The reverse is also true; contact with warm objects increases body heat by conduction. Warming objects that will touch the infant or placing the unclothed infant against the mother's skin (skin to skin) helps prevent conductive heat loss. Drying the baby off helps prevent heat loss through evaporation. Adjusting the temperature in the patient's room helps with heat loss through convection. Pouring warm water over a baby occurs with the first bath, which is conducted after the baby's temperature has stabilized. Pouring warm water over the baby prior to that time will increase heat loss through evaporation.

A Multiparous Patient Arrives to the Labor Unit and Urgently