Question

Discuss the competent care that you will provide to the neonate?

Answer 1

Providing competent care to the patients is the key responsibility of the nurse. Competent care includes assessing the patient needs and providing high quality of care to the patients.
Providing care to the neonates is very different from that of adults.
Providing competent care for the neonates begins from the moment they are born. The competent care provided to neonate includes assessing their physical and neurological functioning, providing them nutrition and drug administration.
The first step is assessing the neonate. APGAR scale is an important tool to assess the neonates. It includes assessing the infant for appearance, heart rate, grimace, activity and respiratory status. The neonate is cleaned and wrapped in towels to regulate body temperature. An incubator is sometimes used. The nurse needs to monitor the vital parameters of the neonates for a few hours after they are born. The nurse gives the baby to the mother for skin to skin contact that helps in regulating neonatal body temperature and bonding.
The mother should be encouraged for breastfeeding and educated about the right way to breastfeeding. Assistance may be needed sometimes.
Educate the neonates family and care givers about the needs of neonates and how to care for them.
Immunization schedule for infectious diseases should be checked and followed for the newborn.
In case the neonate have difficulty breathing, oxygen therapy through nasal cannula or mechanical ventilation is rewuired. Surfactant therapy is given in premature neonates with underdeveloped lungs.