NSG 3500 Exam 4 – Practice Questions, Study Guide & Nursing Exam
Review 2026
When is the APGAR score assigned? - ANS ✔✔At 1 and 5 minutes after birth
What are the five categories of the APGAR score? - ANS ✔✔1. HR
2. RR
3. muscle tone
4. reflex irritability (cry)
5. generalized skin color (coloring)
When the APGAR score is <9 at 5 minutes, it is more important to stabilize the infant than keep
them with mom. T/F? - ANS ✔✔True
What does each APGAR score mean? - ANS ✔✔>7 = normal
4-6 = low
<3 = critical
What are the 4 factors that influence initiation of the first breath? - ANS ✔✔Chemical factors:
hypercarbia, acidosis, and hypoxia
Sensory factors: overwhelming stimuli aids in transition
Thermal factors: drastic change in temp aids in transition
Mechanical factors: thoracic squeeze through birth causes fluid release and replacement with
air
Why does hypoxia, hypercarbia, and acidosis trigger respirations? - ANS ✔✔- hypoxia causes
blood oxygen (PO2) levels to rise and pH to drop
,- carbon dioxide levels (PCO2) begin to rise and prompt the resp center within the medulla to
initiate breathing
Periodic breathing in a newborn is not usually associated with any change in skin color or HR.
How long are these pauses? - ANS ✔✔5-15 seconds (approx 3 seconds is norm? P. 298)
What are indicators of respiratory difficulties in the newborn? - ANS ✔✔- apnea (no breathing
for more than 20 seconds)
- expiratory grunting
- wheezing
- nasal flaring
- retractions
- use of accessory muscles to breathe when at rest
- high RR
What are the five changes for successful cardiopulmonary adaptation? - ANS ✔✔- increased
aortic pressure
- decreased venous pressure
- increased systemic pressure
- decreased pulmonary pressure
- closure of foramen ovale, DA, and DV
What is the HR when baby is first born? - ANS ✔✔160-180 and then 30 min later it goes to 120-
160
The baby cannot become hypoglycemic from heat loss. T/F? - ANS ✔✔False.
, How do newborns respond to cold? - ANS ✔✔They burn brown adipose tissue since they
cannot shiver to maintain warmth
What can the nurse do to regulate temperature in the newborn? - ANS ✔✔- skin-to-skin contact
with mom and warm blankets
- dry head and place cap on baby
- warp baby in two warm blankets
- place unwrapped baby under radiator and monitor temp
- monitor axillary temp
- keep newborn away from drafts
babies can regulate their temp better in 24-48hrs
Blood volume is determined in large part by the timing of the umbilical cord clamping. T/F? -
ANS ✔✔True
_____________________ is seen in most newborns as oxygenated blood is shunted to central
area of the body and vital organs first. - ANS ✔✔Acrocyanosis
What are factors that affect blood glucose on newborns? - ANS ✔✔- small for gestational age
(SGA)
- large for gestational age (LGA)
- infants of diabetic mothers
- post-term or intrauterine growth restriction
What is vitamin K used for? - ANS ✔✔Coagulation; neonates are at risk of blood clotting
deficiency in the first few days of life
What are nursing considerations with the Hep B vax? - ANS ✔✔•Requires consent from mother
Review 2026
When is the APGAR score assigned? - ANS ✔✔At 1 and 5 minutes after birth
What are the five categories of the APGAR score? - ANS ✔✔1. HR
2. RR
3. muscle tone
4. reflex irritability (cry)
5. generalized skin color (coloring)
When the APGAR score is <9 at 5 minutes, it is more important to stabilize the infant than keep
them with mom. T/F? - ANS ✔✔True
What does each APGAR score mean? - ANS ✔✔>7 = normal
4-6 = low
<3 = critical
What are the 4 factors that influence initiation of the first breath? - ANS ✔✔Chemical factors:
hypercarbia, acidosis, and hypoxia
Sensory factors: overwhelming stimuli aids in transition
Thermal factors: drastic change in temp aids in transition
Mechanical factors: thoracic squeeze through birth causes fluid release and replacement with
air
Why does hypoxia, hypercarbia, and acidosis trigger respirations? - ANS ✔✔- hypoxia causes
blood oxygen (PO2) levels to rise and pH to drop
,- carbon dioxide levels (PCO2) begin to rise and prompt the resp center within the medulla to
initiate breathing
Periodic breathing in a newborn is not usually associated with any change in skin color or HR.
How long are these pauses? - ANS ✔✔5-15 seconds (approx 3 seconds is norm? P. 298)
What are indicators of respiratory difficulties in the newborn? - ANS ✔✔- apnea (no breathing
for more than 20 seconds)
- expiratory grunting
- wheezing
- nasal flaring
- retractions
- use of accessory muscles to breathe when at rest
- high RR
What are the five changes for successful cardiopulmonary adaptation? - ANS ✔✔- increased
aortic pressure
- decreased venous pressure
- increased systemic pressure
- decreased pulmonary pressure
- closure of foramen ovale, DA, and DV
What is the HR when baby is first born? - ANS ✔✔160-180 and then 30 min later it goes to 120-
160
The baby cannot become hypoglycemic from heat loss. T/F? - ANS ✔✔False.
, How do newborns respond to cold? - ANS ✔✔They burn brown adipose tissue since they
cannot shiver to maintain warmth
What can the nurse do to regulate temperature in the newborn? - ANS ✔✔- skin-to-skin contact
with mom and warm blankets
- dry head and place cap on baby
- warp baby in two warm blankets
- place unwrapped baby under radiator and monitor temp
- monitor axillary temp
- keep newborn away from drafts
babies can regulate their temp better in 24-48hrs
Blood volume is determined in large part by the timing of the umbilical cord clamping. T/F? -
ANS ✔✔True
_____________________ is seen in most newborns as oxygenated blood is shunted to central
area of the body and vital organs first. - ANS ✔✔Acrocyanosis
What are factors that affect blood glucose on newborns? - ANS ✔✔- small for gestational age
(SGA)
- large for gestational age (LGA)
- infants of diabetic mothers
- post-term or intrauterine growth restriction
What is vitamin K used for? - ANS ✔✔Coagulation; neonates are at risk of blood clotting
deficiency in the first few days of life
What are nursing considerations with the Hep B vax? - ANS ✔✔•Requires consent from mother
