The mother of a 2-day-old male has been informed that her child has sepsis. The mother is distraught and says, "I should have known that something was wrong. Why didn't I see that he was so sick?" The best reply is:
1. "Newborns have immature immune function at birth, and illness is very hard to detect."
2. "Your mothering skills will improve with time. You should take the newborn class."
3. "Your baby didn't get enough active acquired immunity from you during the pregnancy."
4. "The immunity your baby gets in utero doesn't start to function until he is 4 to 8 weeks of age."
Correct Answer: 1
Rationale 1: The immune system of a newborn lacks response to pyrogens and presents a limited inflammatory response; thus, the signs and symptoms of infection are often subtle and nonspecific in the newborn.
Rationale 2: This response does not address the physiology of neonatal infection and is not therapeutic because it is blaming.
Rationale 3: The mother develops active acquired immunity, which is passed to the newborn transplacentally as passive acquired immunity. This immunity is to the illnesses and infections she has had or been immunized against.
Rationale 4: The passive acquired immunity a newborn receives from its mother is effective at birth and lasts from four weeks to eight months, depending on the specific antibody.
You might also like to view...
Which of the following findings on the bimanual exam of a female patient in early pregnancy requires further investigation?
A. Unilateral adnexal tenderness B. Bluish colored cervix C. Varicose veins of vaginal walls D. None of the above
A patient is in the intensive care unit with a pulmonary contusion sustained from a motor vehicle accident. Which posttraumatic complication should the nurse focus on when providing care to this patient?
1. Abdominal compartment syndrome 2. Sepsis 3. Acute respiratory distress syndrome (ARDS) 4. Acute renal failure
The nurse is completing a preoperative assessment on a client. The nurse understands that which of the following is the most important reason to complete a thorough assessment?
1. The data provide information and guidance for the preoperative and postoperative teachings. 2. The potential risks are identified for the family, to comfort them in case there is a bad outcome from surgery. 3. The assessment data can be used to help plan for a future residential care institution. 4. The data provide information to use for the health care provider's history and physical.
An example of the lifestyle habit of "chaining" is
a. gradually reducing intake of sug-ar-sweetened beverages. b. eating a piece of fruit with a sandwich every lunchtime. c. keeping a record of all food and beverages eaten. d. involving all family members in choosing healthy foods.