Question

A community health nurse visits an infant who was born at home 24 hours ago. When assessing the infant the nurse identifies slight jaundice of the face and trunk. What should the nurse do next?

A. Plan for immediate admission to the hospital
B. Obtain a practitioner's order for a bilirubin level
C. Document this expected finding in the infant's record
D. Arrange for the infant to have phototherapy in the home

Answer 1

The nurse should obtain a practitioner's order for a bilirubin level to assess the level of bilirubin in the infant's blood.

Step-by-step explanation:

When assessing an infant who was born at home 24 hours ago and exhibits slight jaundice of the face and trunk, the community health nurse should obtain a practitioner's order for a bilirubin level (Option B). This is important to assess the level of bilirubin in the infant's blood and determine if it is within a safe range or requires further intervention.