As the nursery nurse, you receive a newborn from the labor and birth suite and place him under the radiant warmer. The nurse who gives you report states that the mother couldn’t remember when her membranes broke before labor and that she ran a fever during labor for the past few hours. The Apgar scores were good, but the newborn seemed lethargic. As you begin your assessment, you note that he is pale and floppy and has a subnormal temperature; heart rate is 180 bpm and respiratory rate is 70 breaths per minute.
a. What in the mother’s history should raise a red flag to the nurse?
b. What condition is this newborn at high risk for?
c. What interventions are appropriate for this condition?
