About the Book Preface Table of Contents Sample Mistake What others are saying...

SAMPLE MISTAKE

Mistake #88 (taken from chapter 14 - On Call (Nursery))

Not knowing the approach to evaluating and assessing a newborn

Below we have listed questions that you should ask yourself when evaluating and assessing a newborn.

• What is the estimated gestational age of the baby?
• How was the baby delivered? (Normal spontaneous vaginal delivery, forceps- or vacuum-assisted vaginal delivery, cesarean section)
• If the baby wasn't delivered vaginally, why not? Possible reasons: failure to progress, fetal distress, breech position, etc.
• Was there meconium present at birth or at the rupture of membranes?
• Did the membranes rupture spontaneously or were they ruptured by the obstetrician?
• How long were the membranes ruptured prior to delivery?
• Was the baby breathing or crying at delivery?
• Did the baby have good muscle tone at delivery?
• Was the baby pink at delivery? If the baby was blue, where was he or she blue - centrally or peripherally?
• Was there any need for resuscitation of the neonate at delivery? Resuscitation includes the requirement of any medical intervention, such as the delivery of artificial breaths of oxygen, intubation, medicines, etc.
• Were there any abnormal maternal studies known prior to delivery?
• What is the mother's group B Strep status? If necessary, did the mother receive appropriate intrapartum antibiotic prophylaxis?
• Did the mother have a fever?
• What were the APGAR scores at 1 and 5 minutes?