Maternal Newborn Nursing Test Neonatal Complications and High-Risk Newborn 3

Question 1

A newborn shows signs of hypocalcemia at 24 hours of life. Which risk factor is most directly associated with early neonatal hypocalcemia?

Accepted Answer

Maternal diabetes mellitus

Answer

Infants of diabetic mothers are at increased risk for hypocalcemia because maternal hyperglycemia suppresses fetal parathyroid function, and neonatal calcium regulation is impaired after birth.

Question 2

A newborn is diagnosed with meconium aspiration syndrome (MAS). Which clinical finding is most characteristic?

Accepted Answer

Barrel-shaped chest and patchy infiltrates on X-ray with hyperinflation

Answer

MAS causes air trapping from ball-valve obstruction by meconium particles, resulting in a barrel-shaped chest and the characteristic patchy, hyperinflated appearance on chest X-ray.

Question 3

A 4-hour-old newborn in the nursery begins having tonic-clonic movements of the face and extremities. What is the nurse's priority action?

Accepted Answer

Check blood glucose level immediately

Answer

Hypoglycemia is a common and reversible cause of neonatal seizures; a bedside glucose check should be the first step because treatment is immediate and can abort the seizure.

Question 4

A preterm infant weighing 1,100 g at 29 weeks is admitted to the NICU. What is the appropriate method of thermoregulation for this infant?

Accepted Answer

Radiant warmer with humidity or incubator with high humidity setting

Answer

Extremely preterm infants lack subcutaneous fat and have immature skin permeability; they require a servo-controlled incubator or radiant warmer with high humidity to minimize heat and water loss.

Question 5

A newborn with suspected sepsis has a white blood cell count of 4,000 cells/mcL. What does this finding indicate?

Accepted Answer

Leukopenia, which is an ominous sign of overwhelming infection

Answer

A WBC below 5,000 cells/mcL (leukopenia) in a neonate indicates the bone marrow cannot keep up with bacterial consumption of white cells, suggesting overwhelming sepsis with poor prognosis.

Maternal Newborn Nursing Test Practice Test

Maternal Newborn Nursing Test Practice Test

Maternal Newborn Nursing Test Neonatal Complications and High-Risk Newborn 3