Maternal and Newborn Nursing Flashcards
7 cards from real LVN practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Maternal and Newborn Nursing flashcards as text
What is the normal respiratory rate for a healthy newborn?
Answer: 30–60 breaths per minute
A normal newborn respiratory rate is 30–60 breaths per minute; rates consistently above 60 indicate tachypnea and possible respiratory distress.
Which newborn finding requires immediate notification of the provider?
Answer: Respiratory rate of 68 breaths per minute sustained for more than one hour
A sustained respiratory rate above 60 breaths per minute (tachypnea) indicates potential respiratory distress and requires prompt provider notification.
According to current evidence-based guidelines, when should the newborn's first bath be given?
Answer: At least 24 hours after birth
Delaying the bath for at least 24 hours preserves vernix caseosa, supports thermoregulation, reduces infection risk, and promotes breastfeeding initiation.
What sleep position does the American Academy of Pediatrics recommend to reduce the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS)?
Answer: Supine (on the back)
The AAP recommends placing all infants on their back (supine) for every sleep as the single most important action to reduce SIDS risk.
A newborn develops visible jaundice within the first 24 hours of life. How should the nurse interpret this finding?
Answer: Pathologic jaundice, which requires immediate evaluation
Jaundice appearing within the first 24 hours of life is always considered pathologic (not normal) and requires immediate investigation for hemolytic disease or other serious causes.
Which description best characterizes meconium, the newborn's first stool?
Answer: Dark green to black with a tarry, sticky consistency
Meconium is composed of swallowed amniotic fluid, intestinal secretions, and bile, giving it a characteristic dark green-to-black, tarry appearance.
What is the most effective immediate nursing intervention to prevent hypothermia in a newborn right after birth?
Answer: Dry the newborn thoroughly and place skin-to-skin on the mother's chest
Thoroughly drying the newborn to remove wet amniotic fluid and facilitating skin-to-skin contact with the mother is the most effective immediate strategy to prevent heat loss.