Practice Question
A nurse is reinforcing teaching about umbilical cord care with a client who is postpartum. Which of the following instructions should the nurse include?
Answer Choices:
Correct Answer:
Do not immerse the newborn's abdomen in water until the cord is dry.
Rationale:
🟢 The nurse should teach the parent to avoid tub baths or immersing the newborn in water until the umbilical cord stump has dried and fallen off, which helps prevent infection and delayed healing.
🟢 Until then, parents should give sponge baths and keep the cord area clean, dry, and exposed to air to promote natural drying and separation.
🟢 Immersing the cord stump in water increases moisture and risk of bacterial growth, which can lead to omphalitis (cord infection) or foul-smelling drainage.
🟢 The stump typically falls off within 10 to 14 days, not necessarily by day 10–12 exactly, so care should continue until full separation and healing.
🟢 Parents should also avoid applying substances like baby oil, alcohol, or ointments, as these can interfere with natural drying and are not evidence-based for improving outcomes.
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This question is from RN ATI Maternity Custom Final~ 2023 which contains 51 questions.
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Question Details
- Category: RN Nursing Exam(s)
- Subcategory: ATI Exam(s)
- Domain: RN ATI Maternal & Newborn Care
- Answer Choices: 4