Nursing Elites

1. Why is a prolapsed umbilical cord dangerous?

• A. The cord may be wrapped around the baby's neck, causing strangulation.
• B. The cord might pull the placenta from the uterine wall during delivery.
• C. The baby's head may compress the cord, cutting off its supply of oxygen.
• D. The mother may die of hypoxia due to compromised placental blood flow.

Correct answer: C

Rationale: A prolapsed umbilical cord is dangerous because the baby's head may compress the cord, cutting off its supply of oxygen. This compression can lead to oxygen deprivation, potentially causing significant harm to the baby. Immediate medical intervention is crucial in such cases to prevent adverse outcomes.

2. What should you do immediately upon delivery of a newborn's head?

• A. Suction the nose.
• B. Dry the face.
• C. Cover the eyes.
• D. Suction the mouth.

Correct answer: D

Rationale: Upon delivery of a newborn's head, the priority is to clear the airway to ensure proper breathing. Suctioning the mouth takes precedence over suctioning the nose or other actions to prevent potential airway obstruction. Choice D is the correct answer as it addresses the immediate need to maintain a clear airway for the newborn. Choices A, B, and C are not the correct actions to take at this moment as they do not directly address the crucial need to establish a clear airway for the newborn.

3. You have just delivered a baby girl. Your assessment of the newborn reveals that she has a patent airway, is breathing adequately, and has a heart rate of 130 beats/min. Her face and trunk are pink, but her hands and feet are cyanotic. You have clamped and cut the umbilical cord, but the placenta has not yet delivered. You should:

• A. reassess the newborn every 5 minutes and transport after the placenta delivers.
• B. keep the newborn warm, give oxygen to the mother if needed, and transport.
• C. massage the lower part of the mother's uterus until the placenta delivers.
• D. give the newborn high-flow oxygen via a non-rebreathing mask and transport.

Correct answer: B

Rationale: In this scenario, the appropriate action is to keep the newborn warm, ensure the mother receives oxygen if needed, and prepare for transport. The newborn is showing signs of central cyanosis (hands and feet being cyanotic), which can be due to various reasons, including inadequate oxygenation. Therefore, ensuring warmth and possible oxygen to the mother are important. Additionally, monitoring both the mother and baby during transport is crucial for their well-being.

4. When using the Ballard gestational assessment tool on a newborn, which of the following tests should be performed after the first hour of birth, allowing the newborn to recover from the stress of birth?

• A. Arm recoil
• B. Square window sign
• C. Scarf sign
• D. Popliteal angle

Correct answer: A

Rationale: The correct answer is Arm recoil. Arm recoil is slower in healthy but fatigued newborns after birth, making it best elicited after the first hour of birth when the baby has had time to recover from the stress of birth. This assessment helps evaluate neuromuscular maturity in newborns and is more accurate when performed after the initial recovery period. The other choices, Square window sign, Scarf sign, and Popliteal angle, are not specifically assessed using the Ballard gestational assessment tool and do not relate to the recovery period after birth.

5. A postpartum client is experiencing heavy lochia and a boggy uterus. What should be the nurse's initial action?

• A. Administer a uterotonic medication
• B. Encourage the client to void
• C. Perform fundal massage
• D. Increase the client's fluid intake

Correct answer: C

Rationale: The correct initial action for a postpartum client experiencing heavy lochia and a boggy uterus is to perform fundal massage. Fundal massage helps to firm the uterus and reduce bleeding by promoting uterine contractions, which can assist in preventing postpartum hemorrhage. Administering uterotonic medication may be necessary in some cases but should not be the initial action. Encouraging the client to void and increasing fluid intake can be important interventions but are not the priority in this situation where immediate uterine firmness is needed to control bleeding.

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