Tips for high risk newborn assessment

[avxu13]

Hey, I am a second year registered nursing student. Next week I have to perform a newborn assessment on a high risk newborn immediately after delivery (in a simulation lab). What should i do first? What is the best way to clear the airways, increase HR, decrease HR? What if the baby is in respiratory distress? What are some other complications that could go wrong? What should I do? If anyone has any helpful tips for me, and information that would be super important for it. ANYTHING will help! Thank you! :)

[llg, PhD, RN]

If you go to your school's library (online or brick and mortar) and search the literature, you will find lots of material on that subject. I'd look there.

Also ... before you invest too much time ... clarify the assignment. Is this supposed to be an assessment in the Delivery Room, immediately after delivery? Or are you supposed to simulate an assessment of the baby after it has been stabilized and in the nursery? Those are 2 very different types of exams. In the DR, you are looking for basic vital signs and using the information to decide what (if any) resuscitation measures are needed immediately. (Standardized tools include the APGAR score. You might also look at the Neonatal Resuscitation Program guidelines.)

In the nursery (after the baby has been stabilized), a more thorough assessment is done to look for possible birth defects, birth injuries, etc.

In clarifying the assignment, also clarify whether or not you are to focus on the assessment -- or treatment (e.g. resuscitation) -- or both. Your initial post seems to indicate "both" but yet you say that the assignment is focused on assessment. Get that clarified. If you are really supposed to be able to simulate neonatal resuscitation for a distressed neonate in the Delivery Room, there is a whole special program/protocol for that.