NCLEX : Infant and Postpartum Care
Study concepts, example questions & explanations for NCLEX
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Example Questions
Example Question #52 : Care
A young couple presents to a clinic with a seven year old who has varicella (chicken pox). The child is not in any distress and the virus seems to be progressing normally. They are concerned, however, because one of them is currently pregnant with their second child. They are at 31 weeks of gestation. The carrying mother had chicken pox when she was 2 years old. They ask the nurse if they should be concerned for the health of the unborn child. Which of the following is the most appropriate response?
There is mild need for concern - fetal monitoring is recommended
The mother should not be in contact with the 7 year old till the last lesion is scabbed over
There is no need for concern
Frequent hand washing is recommended to prevent passing of the viral load to the fetus
There is no need for concern
As long as the carrying mother has had varicella, she will be able to pass the antibodies to the virus through the placenta to the unborn child. This will confer passive immunity to the fetus. This immunity lasts for the first few months after birth, so newborns delivered by mothers with immunity to varicella will remain immune for some time even after delivery. Increased immunity to this and other pathogens is conferred by breast milk, which contains maternal antibodies (mostly IgA).
Example Question #53 : Care
By five months of age, what change would be expected in an infant's weight?
Triple
Double
Increase by at least 50%
Increase by at least 70%
Double
An infant would be expected to double it's birth weight by five months. Some infants may double their birth weight by three to four months. An infant that has surpassed five months without approaching twice their birth weight may need to be evaluated for feeding difficulties or failure to thrive.
Example Question #103 : Procedures And Care
At what time does molding (the elongation of the baby's head as it passes through the birth canal) resolve in a newborn?
10-14 days
1-5 days
Less than 24 hours
2-3 weeks
1-5 days
Molding, or the elongation of the infants head during labor and delivery, is a normal adaptation allowing the relatively large skull to traverse the narrow space of the birth canal. It generally resolves in 1-5 days.
Example Question #53 : Care
How long after birth should a newborn pass meconium?
24 hours
2 weeks
3-5 days
2-6 hours
24 hours
Meconium is a sticky, dark-green to black stool that is the first stool passed by neonates after birth. It is composed of the content of the infant's digestive tract before it has begun drinking milk - primarily water, mucus, bile, lanugo, and intestinal epithelial cells. A newborn that has begun to feed on breastmilk or formula should pass a normal stool (yellow to mustard-green and creamy rather than sticky) within 24 hours.
Example Question #21 : Infant And Postpartum Care
The nurse counsels the mother of a 2-month-old infant. Which of the following actions by the mother would be inappropriate?
The mother places the infant on her back during naps and at bedtime.
The mother swaddles the child in blankets for naps.
The mother makes eye contact when she speaks to the baby.
The mother waits 6 months before introducing infant cereals to the baby’s diet.
The mother lets her cry for 5 minutes before responding if the baby cries at night.
The mother lets her cry for 5 minutes before responding if the baby cries at night.
Infants younger than 6 months may have trouble sleeping for long periods of time because they awaken from hunger. Their stomachs are not yet large enough to hold enough nourishment to keep them asleep during the night. After 6 months, it is more appropriate to let babies cry themselves and put themselves to sleep, but before 6 months, it is not recommended. The other actions are appropriate: infants should sleep on their backs to prevent sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS), babies should be interacted with frequently, breastmilk is recommended exclusively for the first 6 months, and swaddling the child is important because the infant cannot sleep in loose blankets.
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