Final answer:
The care for a preterm newborn receiving oxygen should include ensuring the oxygen is warmed and humidified, assessing skin and mucous membrane color, and monitoring oxygen levels in the hood as well as oxygen saturation continuously. Informing parents about oxygen flow rates without discussing potential risks is incorrect.
Step-by-step explanation:
A preterm newborn given oxygen via hood should have a plan of care that includes several important steps:
- Ensuring that the oxygen is continuously warmed and humidified to maintain the correct body temperature and respiratory function, which is crucial for a preterm newborn due to their immature musculature and inability to regulate temperature as effectively as older infants or adults.
- Assessing that the infant's skin and mucous membranes remain bright pink to confirm adequate oxygenation and perfusion.
- Monitoring the oxygen level in the hood every 4 hours and oxygen saturation continuously to ensure the right concentration of oxygen is available to the infant and to mitigate risks such as oxygen toxicity.
It is incorrect to inform parents that oxygen given at 4 L per minute ensures no risk of blindness; this is a misunderstanding of the potential complication of retinopathy of prematurity, which is related to oxygen levels, not the rate of flow alone. Close and careful monitoring of oxygen levels is necessary to prevent such complications.
Additional care considerations include the application of pulmonary surfactant therapy and nutritional support. These therapies and supports are critical for the development and health of premature infants who face challenges in respiratory adjustments after birth.