This program begins with a discussion of primary roles of the placenta and umbilical cord during pregnancy. It goes on to describe the role of surfactant in the lungs and presents the current understanding of factors which foster the newborns first breath. Other topics addressed include: steps to be taken if there is meconium in the amniotic fluid, the four routes of heat loss and the seven factors which increase a newborn's susceptibility to cold stress. The presentation ends with an overview of the APGAR score and its role in newborn assessment.

After completing this course, the learner should be able to:

Series Overview

Newborns have unique anatomy and physiologic characteristics that need to be assessed at birth. Nurses with limited or no experience in the obstetrical environment need to be made aware of these unique characteristics in order to perform a competent evaluation of a newborn's health.

This series provides nurses with the information they need and demonstrates the skills necessary, to perform a comprehensive assessment of the newborn child.

The programs in this series are:

This series is designated for a total of 5 contact hours of continuing nursing education.