Final answer:
If an infant is not responsive upon delivery, the EMS provider should gently flick the soles of the infant's feet and rub the infant's back to stimulate the infant using their well-developed sense of touch. These actions can help the infant respond and are a part of the initial assessment using the Apgar score.
Step-by-step explanation:
If an infant is not responsive upon delivery, the EMS provider should not perform a vigorous sternal rub on the infant, as this can be harmful. Instead, the provider should stimulate the infant by gently flicking the soles of the infant's feet or rubbing the infant's back. This gentle tactile stimulation takes advantage of the newborn's well-developed sense of touch, which can elicit a response and help to determine the baby's condition.
Additionally, the infant's condition is evaluated using the Apgar score, a quick and easy method to assess the newborn immediately after birth. The Apgar score evaluates five criteria: skin color (appearance), heart rate (pulse), reflex (grimace), muscle tone (activity), and respiration. Each criterion is assigned a score of 0, 1, or 2, and the scores are added together to gauge the newborn's transition from the womb.
Hence, the correct answer to the student's question is to flick the soles of the infant's feet and rub the infant's back, as these actions leverage the neonate's sense of touch to potentially stimulate a response. Wrapping the infant's head with dry towels and placing the infant on the mother's abdomen are also immediate post-delivery actions that are part of ensuring the infant's well-being and warmth, which are important, but may not directly stimulate an unresponsive infant.