Assessment and Management of Newborn Complications
❖ Assessment and management of newborn complications include assessment, risk factors, and
... [Show More] collaborative care.
❖ Complications include:
o Neonatal Substance Withdrawal
o Hypoglycemia
o Respiratory Distress
o Meconium aspiration
o Preterm size of the newborn
o Postmature newborn
o Macrocosmic newborn
o Congenital abnormalities
Nursing Care of Newborns: Performing Suctioning with a Bulb Syringe
❖ Interventions for stabilization and resuscitation of airway
o The newborn is able to clear most secretions in air passages by the cough reflex.
Routine suctioning of the mouth, then the nasal passages with a bulb syringe, is done to remove excess mucus in the respiratory tract.
o Newborns delivered by C-sections are more likely to have more fluid remain in
the lungs than newborns delivered by vaginal birth.
o If bulb suctioning is unsuccessful, mechanical suctioning and back blows and
chest thrusts can be used.
o The bulb syringe should be kept with the newborn, and the newborn’s family
should be instructed on how it is to be used.
▪ Compress bulb before insertion into one side of the mouth.
▪ Avoid center of the mouth to prevent stimulating the gag reflex.
▪ Aspirate mouth first, one nostril, then continue to the second nostril.
❖ Client Education and Discharge Teaching: Teaching about Sore Nipples
o Inquire about patient’s current knowledge regarding self-care.
o Assess the patient’s home support system and who will be there to assist. Include
support persons in the educational process.
o Determine the patient’s readiness for learning and her ability to verbalize or demonstrate the information she has been given.
o Clients who are lactating:
▪ Place the newborn skin to skin as soon as possible following the birth
and initiate breastfeeding within the first 1-2 hour after birth.
▪ Emphasize the importance of hand hygiene prior to breastfeeding to
prevent infection.
▪ Allow the infant to feed until the breast softens. IF the 2nd breast doesn’t
soften after feeding, the milk can be expressed by breast pump.
▪ For flat or inverted nipples, suggest that the patient roll the nipples
between the fingers just before feeding.
▪ For sore nipples, the client should apply a small amount of breast milk to
her nipple and allow it to air dry if they are irritated and cracked. [Show Less]