Apgar Score Essay

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First the nurse should explain what the Apgar score is. The Apgar score evaluates the physical condition of the newborn at one min after birth and again at five minutes after birth. The newborn receives a total score that ranges from 0 to 10 based on rating color, heart rate, respiratory effort, muscle tone, and reflex irritability. To break it down a little further there are five factors that are considered in the evaluation of the newborn. The mnemonic is used and it spells out Apgar. The breakdown is as follows: A is for activity (or muscle tone); P is for pulse; G is for grimace (or reflexes to stimuli); A is appearance (or color), and R is for respiration. The Apgar score is only for the immediate condition of the newborn it does not determine the future health of the baby. A score from 7 to 10 is normal but very rare for a newborn to receive a 10. Newborns the get a 4 to 6 will need immediate interventions, usually in the form of oxygen and respiratory assistance or in the form of suctioning if breathing has been obstructed by mucus. A low Apgar score provides a warning signal that the baby may have hidden problems. A score from 0 to 3 are unresponsive, pale, limp, or may not have a pulse with these newborns they would need resuscitation. So the …show more content…

Always make sure baby is always placed on the back when put in bed or anywhere they baby will be sleeping. And also make sure the baby is not put in bed with a lot of stuffed animals to prevent suffocation. Explain for the mother to feed on demand which should be about every two to four hours and not wait over five hours to feed the baby if they do not wake up during that time. Proper way to clean the umbilical cord area. Inform the parents that the cord will fall off between seven to 10 days. Tell the parents to keep the cord area clean and dry. Tell them they can use alcohol with a cotton swab around the cord to help dry it

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