NCLEX RN Test Bank with Rationales Related

Review NCLEX RN Test Bank with Rationales related questions and content

The nurse is informed that a newborn infant with Apgar scores of 1 and 4 will be brought to the nursery. The nurse determines that which intervention is the priority?

  • A. Connecting the resuscitation bag to oxygen
  • B. Turning on the apnea and cardiorespiratory monitor
  • C. Preparing for the insertion of an intravenous (IV) line with D5W
  • D. Setting up the radiant warmer control temperature at 36.5°C (97.6°F)
Correct Answer: A

Rationale: The top priority action for a newborn infant with low Apgar scores is maintaining a patent airway, which would involve preparing respiratory resuscitation equipment. Although the remaining options are also important, they are of lower priority. The newborn infant's cardiopulmonary status would be monitored by a cardiorespiratory monitoring device. Setting up an IV with D5W would provide circulatory support. The radiant warmer will provide an external heat source, which is necessary to prevent further respiratory distress.