Newborn Nursing Care &
Assessment
1. Question
A nurse in a delivery room is assisting with the delivery of a newborn
infant. After the delivery, the nurse prepares to prevent heat loss in
the newborn resulting from evaporation by:
A. Warming the crib pad
B. Turning on the overhead radiant warmer
C. Closing the doors to the room
D. Drying the infant in a warm blanket
Correct Answer: D. Drying the infant in a warm blanket.
The newborn temperature at birth is around 37.2ºC (99ºF) because
they have been confined in their mother’s warm uterine environment.
The newborn’s temperature will immediately drop upon delivery due to
various factors like the newborn’s immature temperature-regulating
mechanism, inability to properly conserve heat, the temperature of the
birthing environment, and if the newborn is not protected from heat
loss following delivery.
Option D: Evaporation is the loss of heat through the conversion
of liquid to vapor. Newborns are wet from the amniotic fluid when
they are born, as the fluid evaporates from their skin, they can
lose heat. Drying the infant using a warm blanket is an excellent
measure to help conserve heat or prevent heat loss. Additionally,
drying the face and hair, covering the hair with a cap, and laying
the newborn on the mother’s abdomen, effectively reduces heat
loss through evaporation. Keeping the newborn dry by drying the
wet newborn infant will prevent hypothermia via evaporation.
Option A: Warming the crib pad prevents heat loss through
conduction, which is the transfer of body heat to a cooler solid
object in contact with the newborn.
Option B: Using the overhead radiant warmer is heat loss
through radiation, which is the transfer of body heat to a cooler
solid object not in contact with the baby
Option C: Closing the doors to the room eliminates drafts is heat
loss through convection (flow of heat from the newborn’s body to
the cooler surrounding air).
, 2. Question
A nurse is assessing a newborn infant following circumcision and notes
that the circumcised area is red with a small amount of bloody
drainage. Which of the following nursing actions would be most
appropriate?
A. Document the findings
B. Contact the physician
C. Circle the amount of bloody drainage on the dressing and
reassess in 30 minutes
D. Reinforce the dressing
Correct Answer: A. Document the findings. The penis is
normally red during the healing process.
Option A: Close observation of the circumcision site during the
first few hours is necessary to determine if there is a
complication. A yellow exudate may be noted after 24 hours, and
this is a part of normal healing. This should not be washed away
because it serves a protective function. The nurse would expect
that the area would be red with a small amount of bloody
drainage. Because the findings identified in the question are
normal, the nurse would document the assessment. Additionally,
document if the infant is voiding after the procedure to ascertain
that the urethra is not occluded. Instruct the parents to keep the
site free from feces and covered in petrolatum until healing is
complete. If the infant cries constantly and if there is redness or
tenderness due to pain, it should be reported to the physician.
Option B: Hemorrhage, infection and urethral fistula formation
are rare complications that can occur from circumcision. If
bleeding is not controlled, then the blood vessel may need to be
ligated, and the nurse would contact the physician.
Option C: A circumcision site that appears red is normal as long
as it does not have a strong odor or strong discharge.
Option D: If the bleeding is excessive, the nurse would apply
gentle pressure with sterile gauze.
Assessment
1. Question
A nurse in a delivery room is assisting with the delivery of a newborn
infant. After the delivery, the nurse prepares to prevent heat loss in
the newborn resulting from evaporation by:
A. Warming the crib pad
B. Turning on the overhead radiant warmer
C. Closing the doors to the room
D. Drying the infant in a warm blanket
Correct Answer: D. Drying the infant in a warm blanket.
The newborn temperature at birth is around 37.2ºC (99ºF) because
they have been confined in their mother’s warm uterine environment.
The newborn’s temperature will immediately drop upon delivery due to
various factors like the newborn’s immature temperature-regulating
mechanism, inability to properly conserve heat, the temperature of the
birthing environment, and if the newborn is not protected from heat
loss following delivery.
Option D: Evaporation is the loss of heat through the conversion
of liquid to vapor. Newborns are wet from the amniotic fluid when
they are born, as the fluid evaporates from their skin, they can
lose heat. Drying the infant using a warm blanket is an excellent
measure to help conserve heat or prevent heat loss. Additionally,
drying the face and hair, covering the hair with a cap, and laying
the newborn on the mother’s abdomen, effectively reduces heat
loss through evaporation. Keeping the newborn dry by drying the
wet newborn infant will prevent hypothermia via evaporation.
Option A: Warming the crib pad prevents heat loss through
conduction, which is the transfer of body heat to a cooler solid
object in contact with the newborn.
Option B: Using the overhead radiant warmer is heat loss
through radiation, which is the transfer of body heat to a cooler
solid object not in contact with the baby
Option C: Closing the doors to the room eliminates drafts is heat
loss through convection (flow of heat from the newborn’s body to
the cooler surrounding air).
, 2. Question
A nurse is assessing a newborn infant following circumcision and notes
that the circumcised area is red with a small amount of bloody
drainage. Which of the following nursing actions would be most
appropriate?
A. Document the findings
B. Contact the physician
C. Circle the amount of bloody drainage on the dressing and
reassess in 30 minutes
D. Reinforce the dressing
Correct Answer: A. Document the findings. The penis is
normally red during the healing process.
Option A: Close observation of the circumcision site during the
first few hours is necessary to determine if there is a
complication. A yellow exudate may be noted after 24 hours, and
this is a part of normal healing. This should not be washed away
because it serves a protective function. The nurse would expect
that the area would be red with a small amount of bloody
drainage. Because the findings identified in the question are
normal, the nurse would document the assessment. Additionally,
document if the infant is voiding after the procedure to ascertain
that the urethra is not occluded. Instruct the parents to keep the
site free from feces and covered in petrolatum until healing is
complete. If the infant cries constantly and if there is redness or
tenderness due to pain, it should be reported to the physician.
Option B: Hemorrhage, infection and urethral fistula formation
are rare complications that can occur from circumcision. If
bleeding is not controlled, then the blood vessel may need to be
ligated, and the nurse would contact the physician.
Option C: A circumcision site that appears red is normal as long
as it does not have a strong odor or strong discharge.
Option D: If the bleeding is excessive, the nurse would apply
gentle pressure with sterile gauze.
