Today’s NCLEX-RN® question of the day focuses on which neonatal assessment is best to evaluate a small newborn. Which assessment tool should the nurse use? Let’s find out!
The nurse in the mother-baby center is assessing a newborn. Which neonatal assessment tool should the nurse use to evaluate whether a newborn is small for gestational age (SGA)?
A. Apgar score
Rationale: The Apgar score is used to assess the physiological transition of an infant at one and five minutes after birth. It is not used to assess SGA.
B. New Ballard score
Rationale: The New Ballard Score is used to assess the infant’s maturity rating by evaluating physical and neuromuscular characteristics and is used to assess SGA.
C. NIPS score
Rationale: The NIPS refers to the neonatal infant pain scale and is not used to assess for SGA.
D. Newborn screening
Rationale: Newborn screening refers to a blood test to evaluate the newborn for inborn errors of metabolism, which are life-threatening.
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The correct answer to today’s NCLEX-RN® Question is…
B. New Ballard score
Rationale: The New Ballard Score is used to assess the infant’s maturity rating by evaluating physical and neuromuscular characteristics and is used to assess SGA.
Main Takeaway
Small for gestational age (SGA) describes an infant whose weight is below the 10th percentile for gestational age. In other words, this is an infant that weighs less than 90% of infants of the same gestational age. Diagnosis of small for gestational age (SGA) is based on the assessment of gestational age, which can be made prenatally, meaning before birth, or postnatally, meaning after birth. Prenatal gestational age is determined by the length of pregnancy after the first day of the mother’s last menstrual period, expressed in weeks and days. Additionally, an ultrasound can be used to evaluate the fetal size and weight. Postnatal gestational age is primarily assessed using the New Ballard Score, which assesses the infant’s maturity rating by evaluating physical and neuromuscular characteristics.
Incorrect Answer Explanations
A. Apgar score
Rationale: The Apgar score is used to assess the physiological transition of an infant at one and five minutes after birth. It is not used to assess SGA.
C. NIPS score
Rationale: The NIPS refers to the neonatal infant pain scale and is not used to assess for SGA.
D. Newborn screening
Rationale: Newborn screening refers to a blood test to evaluate the newborn for inborn errors of metabolism, which are life-threatening.
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