Final answer:
Nursing actions for a newborn with a temperature less than 97°F should include placing the baby under a radiant warmer and encouraging skin-to-skin contact with the mother. Antipyretics are not indicated and delaying intervention is not advisable due to the risk of hypothermia.
Step-by-step explanation:
If a newborn has a temperature less than 97°F, nursing actions that should be taken may include placing the newborn under a radiant warmer to provide a source of heat, since newborns have limited ability to regulate their body temperature due to their immature thermoregulatory systems. Newborns can generate heat through nonshivering thermogenesis which is the breakdown of brown adipose tissue; however, this may be inadequate if the environmental temperature is too low. Encouraging skin-to-skin contact with the mother, which is also known as kangaroo care, can help to stabilize the infant's temperature and provides additional benefits such as emotional bonding and stabilization of the infant's heart rate and breathing. Antipyretic medication is not an appropriate action since the infant is not presenting with a fever but rather a low body temperature. Delaying interventions and rechecking temperature in 1 hour would not be advisable as the newborn requires immediate intervention to prevent hypothermia. It is also important to regularly assess the newborn's condition through Apgar scores and observe for any signs of distress.