Question

The nurse is planning care for a newborn client at term gestation who is large for gestational age. Which of the following are appropriate interventions to include in the plan of care? Select all that apply.

1.Assess newborn for birth-related injuries
2.Discuss the need for feeding supplementation if symptoms of hypoglycemia occur
3.Encourage the mother to breastfeed the newborn every 2-3 hours
4.Notify the health care provider if capillary blood glucose is <45 mg/dL (2.5 mmol/L)
5.Perform capillary blood glucose checks prior to feedings

Answer 1

Caring for an LGA newborn involves assessing for birth-related injuries, discussing feeding supplementation for hypoglycemia, encouraging regular breastfeeding, notifying the provider if blood glucose is <45 mg/dL, and performing glucose checks before feedings.

Step-by-step explanation:

When caring for a newborn client who is large for gestational age (LGA), incorporating appropriate interventions into the plan of care is essential for the well-being of the infant. These interventions include:

1. Assessing the newborn for birth-related injuries, as LGA infants are more susceptible to injuries such as shoulder dystocia during delivery.
2. Discussing the need for feeding supplementation if symptoms of hypoglycemia occur, because LGA newborns are at a higher risk of developing hypoglycemia, which can lead to seizures and developmental delays if not properly managed.
3. Encouraging the mother to breastfeed the newborn every 2-3 hours to ensure adequate nutrition and to help regulate the newborn's blood glucose levels.
4. Notifying the health care provider if capillary blood glucose is <45 mg/dL (2.5 mmol/L), as this is a critical value in newborns that warrants immediate attention.
5. Performing capillary blood glucose checks prior to feedings to monitor and maintain the newborn's blood glucose within a safe range.

These steps are important components of the health management for an LGA infant to mitigate potential risks and support the infant's transition to postnatal life.