Newborn Assessment Essay

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Running head: NEWBORN WRITE-UP 1 Newborn Write-Up Newborn Write-Up The initial assessment of the newborn is performed immediately after birth using the Apgar score and a physical examination. The Apgar score allows a quick assessment of the newborn’s evolution to the outside world and it is based on five signs that specify the physiologic condition of the newborn heart rate, respiratory effort, muscle tone, reflex irritability, and generalized skin color). Apgar assessments are made at 1 minute, 5 minutes and sometimes repeated at 10 minutes following birth by a nurse or proper personnel. A short physical examination is performed to check for obvious signs of the newborn’s overall health status. Other necessary measures will be performed over the next few minutes and hours depending on the condition of the newborn (Lowdermilk, Perry, & Cashion, 2010). Some of these procedures include the following: • Measurement of the temperature, heart rate, and respiratory rate, review of systems including reflexes • Measurement of weight, length, and head circumference to help determine if a baby's weight and measurements are normal for the number of weeks of pregnancy. • Umbilicus care - The baby's umbilical cord stub will have a clamp and needs to be kept clean and dry. • Bath - once a baby's temperature has stabilized a bath can be given. Nursing interventions for the normal newborn include airway maintenance, maintaining a sufficient oxygen supply and maintaining normal body temperature. Some of the immediate interventions include eye prophylaxis, vitamin K prophylaxis, umbilical cord care and encouraging parent and infant bonding. A gestational age measurement is completed within the first hour of birth in a stable newborn. The New Ballard Score is used to establish gestational ages of infants as young as 20 weeks to 42 weeks. Using
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