Difficulty: Medium
Average Score: 72%
Simulated
Following a vaginal delivery, the nurse places the neonate under the radiant warmer, provides naso-oropharyngeal suction, and dries the neonate's skin to elicit spontaneous respirations. The newborn heart rate is 100 beats/minute and remains apneic when the nurse flicks the soles of the feet. Which action should the nurse implement next?
Correct answer
D
Rationale
Positive pressure ventilation directly supports breathing by delivering air to the lungs, critical for an apneic neonate with a heart rate of 100 bpm, ensuring oxygenation. Blow-by oxygen relies on spontaneous breathing, which is absent. Intubation is complex and slower, reserved for persistent failure. IV infusion addresses hydration, not immediate apnea.