Questions and Answers 100% Pass
How long is the neonatal period? - ✔✔Birth through the first 28 days of life
What is the focus of nursing care during the neonatal period? - ✔✔Protect and support
the neonates as they undergo numeous physiological changes and adapt to extrauterine
life
What are five major goals for the neonatal period? - ✔✔- maintaining body heat
- maintaining respiratory function
- decreasing risk for infection
- assisting parents in providing appropriate nutrition and hydration
- assisting parents in learning to care for their newborn
What is transition? - ✔✔Fetal movement from intrauterine to extrauterine life with their
own circulating blood
Transfer from total dependence on the placenta for every life-sustaining need from
oxygenation and nutrition to total independence
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,When does transition begin? - ✔✔Once the umbilcal cord is clamped and the infant
takes the first breath
What are the four factors that influence the initiation of a newborn's first breath? - ✔✔1.
Chemical changes (intenal stimuli)
2. Sensory (external stimuli)
3. Thermal (external stimuli)
4. Mechanical (external stimuli)
*Each factor stimulates the respiratory center located within the medulla of the brain*
What chemical changes influence the initiation of a newborn's first breath? - ✔✔A brief
period of asphyxia occurs in all newborns during the birth process
Hypoxia
- causes blood oxygen levels and pH to dro
- causes blood carbon dioxide levels to rise and prompt the respiratory center within the
medulla to initiate breathing
- acidosis results
*Prolonged asphyxia that accompanies a traumatic birth is abnormal and may cause a
CNS mediated respiratory depression*
What sensory changes influence the initiation of a newborn's first breath? - ✔✔Extreme
sensory overload
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, - touch
- light
- sound
What temperature changes changes influence the initiation of a newborn's first breath? -
✔✔Drastic changes in temperature helps to stimulate the initiation of respirations
Sensors in the skin respond to the temperature changes and send signals to the
respiratory system in the brain
What mechanical changes influence the initiation of a newborn's first breath? -
✔✔Removal of fluid from the lungs with the subsequent replacement of air initiates
respirations
Chest compression
- occurs during vaginal birth which increases the intrathoracic pressure and helps to
push fluid out of the lungs
- this facilitates a small passive inspiration of air which replaces fluid that has been
squeezed out
*Careful attention should be placed on Cesarean delivered newborns due to not getting
the squeeze as described above*
What are normal lung sounds during early auscultation? - ✔✔Wet rales early on until
fluid absorbs (up to 24 hours)
What is the function of surfactant? - ✔✔- maintains alveolar stability
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