Neonatal Evaluation & Monitoring Flashcards
7 cards from real RNC-NIC practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 7 Neonatal Evaluation & Monitoring flashcards as text
A neonate born at 30 weeks has persistent metabolic acidosis with base deficit of -10. Which assessment finding is most consistent with this lab result?
Answer: Prolonged capillary refill and mottled skin
Poor perfusion signs such as prolonged capillary refill and mottled skin reflect inadequate tissue oxygen delivery, consistent with metabolic acidosis.
Which electrolyte abnormality is most commonly associated with jitteriness, seizures, and hypotonia in the first 48 hours of life in a preterm neonate?
Answer: Hypocalcemia
Hypocalcemia is the most common cause of neonatal jitteriness and seizures in the first 48 hours, particularly in preterm infants.
When evaluating a neonate's chest X-ray, which finding is characteristic of respiratory distress syndrome (RDS)?
Answer: Ground-glass appearance with air bronchograms
RDS presents with a diffuse ground-glass appearance and air bronchograms due to widespread alveolar collapse from surfactant deficiency.
A 36-week infant has a total serum bilirubin of 12 mg/dL at 24 hours of life. According to the Bhutani nomogram, this falls in which zone?
Answer: High risk
A bilirubin of 12 mg/dL at 24 hours plots in the high-risk zone on the Bhutani hour-specific nomogram, requiring immediate evaluation and likely phototherapy.
Which assessment tool is specifically validated to evaluate pain in preverbal neonates in the NICU setting?
Answer: NPASS (Neonatal Pain, Agitation, and Sedation Scale)
The NPASS is a validated, NICU-specific tool that assesses both pain/agitation and sedation levels in neonates.
A neonate at 28 weeks has a head circumference of 24 cm. Over the next week, the HC grows to 27 cm. What does this finding suggest?
Answer: Posthemorrhagic hydrocephalus
Head circumference growth exceeding 1 cm/week in a preterm neonate is a red flag for posthemorrhagic hydrocephalus and warrants cranial ultrasound.
During abdominal assessment of a NICU infant, the nurse notes distension, absent bowel sounds, and bloody stools. Which condition should be suspected first?
Answer: Necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC)
The triad of abdominal distension, absent bowel sounds, and bloody stools is the classic presentation of necrotizing enterocolitis in preterm neonates.