NICU STUDY GUIDE 2025/2026 QUESTIONS AND
SOLUTIONS RANKED A+
✔✔high noise levels - ✔✔increase in autonomic response > bradycardic & hypoxic
episode risk
✔✔quiet period - ✔✔significant reductions in infants' median DBP & MAP
✔✔little ability to limit amount of light entering the eyes - ✔✔<32 weeks
✔✔preterm - ✔✔<37 weeks gestation
✔✔very preterm - ✔✔<32 weeks gestation
✔✔NBS - ✔✔assessment of gestational age
✔✔antenatal steroids - ✔✔accelerates lung maturation to reduce incidence of RDS &
mortality
✔✔HFOV - ✔✔high-frequency oscillatory ventilation to decrease complications
associated w/ mechanical vent
✔✔inhalation of NO - ✔✔dec pulmonary artery resistance, cytokine-induced lung
inflammation, & increase gas exchange
✔✔BPD (bronchopulmonary dysplasia) - ✔✔mild: oxygen supplementation for 28 days
severe: >28 days
respiratory symptoms tend to persist into adolescence despite no reduction in exercise
capacity
✔✔CLD (chronic lung disease) - ✔✔associated w/ neonatal sepsis
✔✔MAS - ✔✔meconium-aspiration syndrome
depressed physiologic function --> endotracheal suction
hypersensitivity to environmental stimulus
surfactant administered to reduce severity
✔✔PVL - ✔✔periventricular leukomalacia
leading known cause of CP & cognitive impairments
symmetrical, nonhemorrhagic, usually bilateral lesion caused by ischemia from
alterations in arterial circulation
, necrosis of white matter dorsal & lateral to the external angles of the lateral ventricles
systemic hypotension
✔✔GM-IVH - ✔✔germinal matrix-intraventricular hemorrhage
most common type of neonatal intracranial hemorrhage
Heubner's artery
most vulnerable area = foramen of Monro & caudate nucleus
indomethacin
✔✔Clinical signs of GMH-IVH - ✔✔decreasing hematocrit
full anterior fontanelle
changes in activity level
✔✔HIE - ✔✔hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy
lack of oxygen & substrate delivery to the brain as a result of decreased BF
Signs: stupor/coma, flaccidity, no spontaneous movement, decerebrate posturing
✔✔HIE first phase - ✔✔primary energy failure
lack of O2 and glucose
✔✔HIE secondary/delayed phase - ✔✔energy failure occurs later over 72 hours due to
delayed cell death
✔✔Neonatal seizures - ✔✔term infants - tonic horizontal deviation of eyes
premature - chewing movements
phenobarbital & phenytoin
✔✔NEC - ✔✔necrotizing enterocolitis
acute inflammatory disease of the bowel
low blood supply > death of mucosal cells > decreased lubricating mucus > swelling &
breakdown of bowel walls > gas-forming bacteria
✔✔intestinal motility matures - ✔✔third trimester
✔✔ROP - ✔✔retinopathy of prematurity
proliferation of abnormal blood vessels in the newborn retina
SOLUTIONS RANKED A+
✔✔high noise levels - ✔✔increase in autonomic response > bradycardic & hypoxic
episode risk
✔✔quiet period - ✔✔significant reductions in infants' median DBP & MAP
✔✔little ability to limit amount of light entering the eyes - ✔✔<32 weeks
✔✔preterm - ✔✔<37 weeks gestation
✔✔very preterm - ✔✔<32 weeks gestation
✔✔NBS - ✔✔assessment of gestational age
✔✔antenatal steroids - ✔✔accelerates lung maturation to reduce incidence of RDS &
mortality
✔✔HFOV - ✔✔high-frequency oscillatory ventilation to decrease complications
associated w/ mechanical vent
✔✔inhalation of NO - ✔✔dec pulmonary artery resistance, cytokine-induced lung
inflammation, & increase gas exchange
✔✔BPD (bronchopulmonary dysplasia) - ✔✔mild: oxygen supplementation for 28 days
severe: >28 days
respiratory symptoms tend to persist into adolescence despite no reduction in exercise
capacity
✔✔CLD (chronic lung disease) - ✔✔associated w/ neonatal sepsis
✔✔MAS - ✔✔meconium-aspiration syndrome
depressed physiologic function --> endotracheal suction
hypersensitivity to environmental stimulus
surfactant administered to reduce severity
✔✔PVL - ✔✔periventricular leukomalacia
leading known cause of CP & cognitive impairments
symmetrical, nonhemorrhagic, usually bilateral lesion caused by ischemia from
alterations in arterial circulation
, necrosis of white matter dorsal & lateral to the external angles of the lateral ventricles
systemic hypotension
✔✔GM-IVH - ✔✔germinal matrix-intraventricular hemorrhage
most common type of neonatal intracranial hemorrhage
Heubner's artery
most vulnerable area = foramen of Monro & caudate nucleus
indomethacin
✔✔Clinical signs of GMH-IVH - ✔✔decreasing hematocrit
full anterior fontanelle
changes in activity level
✔✔HIE - ✔✔hypoxic ischemic encephalopathy
lack of oxygen & substrate delivery to the brain as a result of decreased BF
Signs: stupor/coma, flaccidity, no spontaneous movement, decerebrate posturing
✔✔HIE first phase - ✔✔primary energy failure
lack of O2 and glucose
✔✔HIE secondary/delayed phase - ✔✔energy failure occurs later over 72 hours due to
delayed cell death
✔✔Neonatal seizures - ✔✔term infants - tonic horizontal deviation of eyes
premature - chewing movements
phenobarbital & phenytoin
✔✔NEC - ✔✔necrotizing enterocolitis
acute inflammatory disease of the bowel
low blood supply > death of mucosal cells > decreased lubricating mucus > swelling &
breakdown of bowel walls > gas-forming bacteria
✔✔intestinal motility matures - ✔✔third trimester
✔✔ROP - ✔✔retinopathy of prematurity
proliferation of abnormal blood vessels in the newborn retina
