Chpt. 18 Nursing Management of the Newborn\\\CHAPTER 8
NURSING MANAGEMENT OF THE NEWBORN WITH
QUESTIONS AND WELL VERIFIED ANSWERS LATEST EXAM
2025
"1. How can a mother achieve the football-hold position for breastfeeding?" - ANSWER✔✔-"1. The
football hold is achieved by holding the infant's back and shoulders in the palm of the mother's hand
and tucking the infant under the mother's arm. The infant's ear, shoulder, and hip should be in a straight
line. The mother's hand should support the breast and bring it to the infant's lips to latch on until the
infant begins to nurse. This position allows the mother to see the infant's mouth as she guides her infant
to the nipple. Mothers who have had a cesarean birth can avoid pressure on the inci- sion lines by
adopting the football hold position for breastfeeding."
"2. What is colostrum?" - ANSWER✔✔-"2. Colostrum is a thick, yellowish substance secreted during
the first few days after birth. It is high in protein, minerals, and fat-soluble vitamins. It is rich in
immunoglobulins (e.g., IgA), which help protect the newborn's GI tract against infections. It is a natural
laxative to help rid the intestinal tract of meconium quickly."
"3. What is the use of fiber optic pads in treat- ment of physiologic jaundice?" - ANSWER✔✔-"3. Fiber
optic pads (Biliblanket or Bilivest) are used for treatment of physiologic jaundice and can be wrapped
around newborns or newborns can lie upon them. These pads consist of a light that is delivered from a
tungsten-halogen bulb through a fiber optic cable and is emitted from the sides and ends of the fibers
inside a plastic pad. They work on the premise that phototherapy can be improved by delivering higher-
intensity therapeu- tic light to decrease bilirubin levels. The pads do not produce appreciable heat like
banks of lights or spotlights do, so insensible water loss is not increased. Eye patches are also not
needed; thus, parents can feed and hold their newborns continu- ously to promote bonding."
"4. How can a nurse test Moro reflex?" - ANSWER✔✔-"4. The Moro reflex, or the embrace reflex,
occurs when the neonate is startled. To elicit this reflex, the newborn is placed on his back. The upper
body weight of the supine newborn is supported by the arms with use of a lifting motion, without lifting
the newborn off the surface. When the arms are released suddenly, the newborn will throw the arms
,outward and flex the knees; arms then return to the chest. The fingers also spread to form a C. The
newborn initially appears startled and then relaxes to a normal resting position."
"5. What is caput succedaneum?" - ANSWER✔✔-"5. Caput succedaneum is a localized edema on the
scalp that occurs from the pressure of the birth process. It is commonly observed after prolonged labor.
Clinically, it appears as a poorly demarcated soft tissue swelling that crosses suture lines. Pitting edema
and overlying petechiae and ecchymosis are noted. The swelling will gradually dissipate in about 3 days
without any treatment. Newborns who were delivered via vacuum extraction usually have a caput in the
area where the cup was used."
"6. What is erythema toxicum?" - ANSWER✔✔-"6. Erythema toxicum is a benign, idiopathic, very
common, generalized, transient rash occurring in as many as 70% of all newborns during the first week
of life. It consists of small papules or pustules on the skin resembling flea bites. The rash is common on
the face, chest, and back. One of the chief characteristics of this rash is its lack of pattern. It is caused by
the newborn's eosinophils reacting to the environment as the immune system matures. It does not
require any treatment, and it disap- pears in a few days."
"Karen, a first-time mother, is worried that her baby does not sleep properly and wakes up every 2
hours. Karen informs the nurse that she often brings the baby to her bed to nurse and falls asleep with
the baby in her bed.
1. What information should the nurse offer regarding the sleeping habits of newborns?" -
ANSWER✔✔-"1. The nurse should inform the mother that newborns usually sleep for up to 20 hours
daily, for periods of 2 to 4 hours at a time, but not through the night. This is because their stomach
capacity is too small to go long periods of time without nour- ishment. All newborns develop their own
sleep patterns and cycles."
"2. What safety precautions should the mother take when putting the baby to sleep?" - ANSWER✔✔-
"2. The nurse should ask the mother to place the newborn on her back to sleep; remove all fluffy
bedding, quilts, sheepskins, stuffed animals, and pillows from the crib to prevent potential suffocation.
Parents should avoid unsafe conditions such as placing the newborn in the prone position, using a crib
that does not meet federal safety guidelines, allowing window cords to hang loose and in close
proximity to the crib, or having the room temperature too high, causing overheating."
"3. What education should the nurse impart to Karen to discourage bed-sharing?" - ANSWER✔✔-"3.
The nurse should educate Karen about potential risks of bed-sharing. Bringing a newborn into bed to
nurse or quiet her down and then falling asleep with the newborn is not a safe practice. Infants who
sleep in adult beds are up to 40 times more likely to suffocate than those who sleep in cribs. Suffocation
also can occur when the infant gets entangled in bedding or caught under pillows, or slips between the
,bed and the wall or the headboard and mattress. It can also happen when someone accidentally rolls
against or on top of them. Therefore, the safest sleeping location for all newborns is in their crib,
without any movable objects close."
1. "The nurse caring for a newborn has to perform assessment at various intervals. When should the
nurse complete the second assessment for the newborn?
a. Immediately after birth, in the birthing area
b. Within the first 2 to 4 hours, when the newborn is in the nursery
c. Before the newborn is discharged
d. The day after the newborn's birth" - ANSWER✔✔-"Answer: b
RATIONALE: The nurse should complete the sec- ond assessment for the newborn within the first 2 to 4
hours, when the newborn is in the nursery. The nurse should complete the initial newborn assessment
in the birthing area and the third assessment before the newborn is discharged."
2. "A nurse is caring for a 5-hour-old newborn. The physician has asked the nurse to maintain the
newborn's temperature between 97.7° and 99.5° F (between 36.5° and 37.5° C). What nursing
intervention should the nurse perform to maintain the temperature within the recommended range?
a. Avoid measuring the weight of the infant, as scales may be cold.
b. Use the stethoscope over the baby's garment.
c. Place the newborn close to the outer wall in the room.
d. Place the newborn skin-to-skin with the mother." - ANSWER✔✔-"2. Answer: d
RATIONALE: The nurse should place the newborn skin-to-skin with mother. This would help to maintain
baby's temperature as well as promote breastfeeding and bonding between the mother and baby. The
nurse can weigh the infant as long as a warmed cover is placed on the scale. The stethoscope should be
warmed before it makes contact with the infant's skin, rather than using the stethoscope over the
garment because it may obscure the reading. The newborn's crib should not be placed close to the outer
walls in the room to prevent heat loss through radiation."
3. "As a part of the newborn assessment, the nurse determines the skin turgor. Which of the following
nursing interventions is relevant when observing the turgor of the newborn's skin?
a. Pinch skin and note return to original position.
b. Examine for stork bites or salmon patches.
c. Check for unopened sebaceous glands.
, d. Inspect for blue or purple splotches on buttocks." - ANSWER✔✔-"3. Answer: a RATIONALE: Skin
turgor is checked by pinching the skin over chest or abdomen and noting the return to original position;
if the skin remains "tented" after pinching, it denotes dehydration. Stork bites or salmon patches,
unopened sebaceous glands, and blue or purple splotches on buttocks are common skin variations not
related to skin turgor."
"Which of the following information should the nurse give to a client who is breastfeeding her newborn
regarding the nutritional requirements of newborns, as per the recommendations of the American
Academy of Pediatrics (AAP)?
a. Feed the infant at least 10 mL per kg of water daily."
"b. Give iron supplements to the newborn daily.
c. Give vitamin D supplements daily for the first 2 months.
d. Ensure adequate fluoride supplementation." - ANSWER✔✔-"4. Answer: c RATIONALE: As per the
recommendations of AAP, all newborns should receive a daily supplement of vitamin D during the first 2
months of life to prevent rickets and vitamin D deficiency. There is no need to feed the newborn water,
as breast milk contains enough water to meet the newborn's needs. Iron supplements need not be
given, as the newborn is being breastfed. Infants over 6 months of age are given fluoride
supplementation if they are not receiving fluoridated water."
"5. A first-time mother informs the nurse that she is unable to breastfeed her baby through the day as
she is usually away at work. She adds that she wants to express her breast milk and store it for her baby.
What instruction should the nurse offer the woman to ensure the safety of stored expressed breast
milk?
a. Use sealed and chilled milk within 24 hours
b. Use frozen milk within 6 months of obtaining it
c. Use microwave ovens to warm chilled milk d. Refreeze any unused milk for later use" -
ANSWER✔✔-"5. Answer: a RATIONALE: The nurse should instruct the woman to use the sealed and
chilled milk within 24 hours. The nurse should not instruct the woman to use frozen milk within 6
months of obtaining it, to use microwave ovens to warm chilled milk, or to refreeze the used milk and
reuse it. Instead, the nurse should instruct the woman to use frozen milk within 3 months of obtaining it,
to avoid using microwave ovens to warm chilled milk, and to discard any used milk and never refreeze
it."
"6. A nurse is educating the mother of a new- born about feeding and burping. Which of the following
strategies should the nurse offer to the mother regarding burping?
a. Hold the baby upright with the baby's head on her mother's shoulder.
NURSING MANAGEMENT OF THE NEWBORN WITH
QUESTIONS AND WELL VERIFIED ANSWERS LATEST EXAM
2025
"1. How can a mother achieve the football-hold position for breastfeeding?" - ANSWER✔✔-"1. The
football hold is achieved by holding the infant's back and shoulders in the palm of the mother's hand
and tucking the infant under the mother's arm. The infant's ear, shoulder, and hip should be in a straight
line. The mother's hand should support the breast and bring it to the infant's lips to latch on until the
infant begins to nurse. This position allows the mother to see the infant's mouth as she guides her infant
to the nipple. Mothers who have had a cesarean birth can avoid pressure on the inci- sion lines by
adopting the football hold position for breastfeeding."
"2. What is colostrum?" - ANSWER✔✔-"2. Colostrum is a thick, yellowish substance secreted during
the first few days after birth. It is high in protein, minerals, and fat-soluble vitamins. It is rich in
immunoglobulins (e.g., IgA), which help protect the newborn's GI tract against infections. It is a natural
laxative to help rid the intestinal tract of meconium quickly."
"3. What is the use of fiber optic pads in treat- ment of physiologic jaundice?" - ANSWER✔✔-"3. Fiber
optic pads (Biliblanket or Bilivest) are used for treatment of physiologic jaundice and can be wrapped
around newborns or newborns can lie upon them. These pads consist of a light that is delivered from a
tungsten-halogen bulb through a fiber optic cable and is emitted from the sides and ends of the fibers
inside a plastic pad. They work on the premise that phototherapy can be improved by delivering higher-
intensity therapeu- tic light to decrease bilirubin levels. The pads do not produce appreciable heat like
banks of lights or spotlights do, so insensible water loss is not increased. Eye patches are also not
needed; thus, parents can feed and hold their newborns continu- ously to promote bonding."
"4. How can a nurse test Moro reflex?" - ANSWER✔✔-"4. The Moro reflex, or the embrace reflex,
occurs when the neonate is startled. To elicit this reflex, the newborn is placed on his back. The upper
body weight of the supine newborn is supported by the arms with use of a lifting motion, without lifting
the newborn off the surface. When the arms are released suddenly, the newborn will throw the arms
,outward and flex the knees; arms then return to the chest. The fingers also spread to form a C. The
newborn initially appears startled and then relaxes to a normal resting position."
"5. What is caput succedaneum?" - ANSWER✔✔-"5. Caput succedaneum is a localized edema on the
scalp that occurs from the pressure of the birth process. It is commonly observed after prolonged labor.
Clinically, it appears as a poorly demarcated soft tissue swelling that crosses suture lines. Pitting edema
and overlying petechiae and ecchymosis are noted. The swelling will gradually dissipate in about 3 days
without any treatment. Newborns who were delivered via vacuum extraction usually have a caput in the
area where the cup was used."
"6. What is erythema toxicum?" - ANSWER✔✔-"6. Erythema toxicum is a benign, idiopathic, very
common, generalized, transient rash occurring in as many as 70% of all newborns during the first week
of life. It consists of small papules or pustules on the skin resembling flea bites. The rash is common on
the face, chest, and back. One of the chief characteristics of this rash is its lack of pattern. It is caused by
the newborn's eosinophils reacting to the environment as the immune system matures. It does not
require any treatment, and it disap- pears in a few days."
"Karen, a first-time mother, is worried that her baby does not sleep properly and wakes up every 2
hours. Karen informs the nurse that she often brings the baby to her bed to nurse and falls asleep with
the baby in her bed.
1. What information should the nurse offer regarding the sleeping habits of newborns?" -
ANSWER✔✔-"1. The nurse should inform the mother that newborns usually sleep for up to 20 hours
daily, for periods of 2 to 4 hours at a time, but not through the night. This is because their stomach
capacity is too small to go long periods of time without nour- ishment. All newborns develop their own
sleep patterns and cycles."
"2. What safety precautions should the mother take when putting the baby to sleep?" - ANSWER✔✔-
"2. The nurse should ask the mother to place the newborn on her back to sleep; remove all fluffy
bedding, quilts, sheepskins, stuffed animals, and pillows from the crib to prevent potential suffocation.
Parents should avoid unsafe conditions such as placing the newborn in the prone position, using a crib
that does not meet federal safety guidelines, allowing window cords to hang loose and in close
proximity to the crib, or having the room temperature too high, causing overheating."
"3. What education should the nurse impart to Karen to discourage bed-sharing?" - ANSWER✔✔-"3.
The nurse should educate Karen about potential risks of bed-sharing. Bringing a newborn into bed to
nurse or quiet her down and then falling asleep with the newborn is not a safe practice. Infants who
sleep in adult beds are up to 40 times more likely to suffocate than those who sleep in cribs. Suffocation
also can occur when the infant gets entangled in bedding or caught under pillows, or slips between the
,bed and the wall or the headboard and mattress. It can also happen when someone accidentally rolls
against or on top of them. Therefore, the safest sleeping location for all newborns is in their crib,
without any movable objects close."
1. "The nurse caring for a newborn has to perform assessment at various intervals. When should the
nurse complete the second assessment for the newborn?
a. Immediately after birth, in the birthing area
b. Within the first 2 to 4 hours, when the newborn is in the nursery
c. Before the newborn is discharged
d. The day after the newborn's birth" - ANSWER✔✔-"Answer: b
RATIONALE: The nurse should complete the sec- ond assessment for the newborn within the first 2 to 4
hours, when the newborn is in the nursery. The nurse should complete the initial newborn assessment
in the birthing area and the third assessment before the newborn is discharged."
2. "A nurse is caring for a 5-hour-old newborn. The physician has asked the nurse to maintain the
newborn's temperature between 97.7° and 99.5° F (between 36.5° and 37.5° C). What nursing
intervention should the nurse perform to maintain the temperature within the recommended range?
a. Avoid measuring the weight of the infant, as scales may be cold.
b. Use the stethoscope over the baby's garment.
c. Place the newborn close to the outer wall in the room.
d. Place the newborn skin-to-skin with the mother." - ANSWER✔✔-"2. Answer: d
RATIONALE: The nurse should place the newborn skin-to-skin with mother. This would help to maintain
baby's temperature as well as promote breastfeeding and bonding between the mother and baby. The
nurse can weigh the infant as long as a warmed cover is placed on the scale. The stethoscope should be
warmed before it makes contact with the infant's skin, rather than using the stethoscope over the
garment because it may obscure the reading. The newborn's crib should not be placed close to the outer
walls in the room to prevent heat loss through radiation."
3. "As a part of the newborn assessment, the nurse determines the skin turgor. Which of the following
nursing interventions is relevant when observing the turgor of the newborn's skin?
a. Pinch skin and note return to original position.
b. Examine for stork bites or salmon patches.
c. Check for unopened sebaceous glands.
, d. Inspect for blue or purple splotches on buttocks." - ANSWER✔✔-"3. Answer: a RATIONALE: Skin
turgor is checked by pinching the skin over chest or abdomen and noting the return to original position;
if the skin remains "tented" after pinching, it denotes dehydration. Stork bites or salmon patches,
unopened sebaceous glands, and blue or purple splotches on buttocks are common skin variations not
related to skin turgor."
"Which of the following information should the nurse give to a client who is breastfeeding her newborn
regarding the nutritional requirements of newborns, as per the recommendations of the American
Academy of Pediatrics (AAP)?
a. Feed the infant at least 10 mL per kg of water daily."
"b. Give iron supplements to the newborn daily.
c. Give vitamin D supplements daily for the first 2 months.
d. Ensure adequate fluoride supplementation." - ANSWER✔✔-"4. Answer: c RATIONALE: As per the
recommendations of AAP, all newborns should receive a daily supplement of vitamin D during the first 2
months of life to prevent rickets and vitamin D deficiency. There is no need to feed the newborn water,
as breast milk contains enough water to meet the newborn's needs. Iron supplements need not be
given, as the newborn is being breastfed. Infants over 6 months of age are given fluoride
supplementation if they are not receiving fluoridated water."
"5. A first-time mother informs the nurse that she is unable to breastfeed her baby through the day as
she is usually away at work. She adds that she wants to express her breast milk and store it for her baby.
What instruction should the nurse offer the woman to ensure the safety of stored expressed breast
milk?
a. Use sealed and chilled milk within 24 hours
b. Use frozen milk within 6 months of obtaining it
c. Use microwave ovens to warm chilled milk d. Refreeze any unused milk for later use" -
ANSWER✔✔-"5. Answer: a RATIONALE: The nurse should instruct the woman to use the sealed and
chilled milk within 24 hours. The nurse should not instruct the woman to use frozen milk within 6
months of obtaining it, to use microwave ovens to warm chilled milk, or to refreeze the used milk and
reuse it. Instead, the nurse should instruct the woman to use frozen milk within 3 months of obtaining it,
to avoid using microwave ovens to warm chilled milk, and to discard any used milk and never refreeze
it."
"6. A nurse is educating the mother of a new- born about feeding and burping. Which of the following
strategies should the nurse offer to the mother regarding burping?
a. Hold the baby upright with the baby's head on her mother's shoulder.
