Question

Which intervention should a nurse implement to promote thermal regulation in a preterm newborn?

A. Delaying initiation of breastfeeding
B. Keeping the infant in an incubator
C. Bathing the infant frequently
D. Encouraging room temperature above 25°C

Answer 1

To promote thermal regulation in a preterm newborn, a nurse should keep the infant in an incubator, which helps maintain thermal equilibrium.

Step-by-step explanation:

The intervention a nurse should implement to promote thermal regulation in a preterm newborn is keeping the infant in an incubator. The incubator provides a controlled environment which maintains the temperature needed to keep the preterm newborn at thermal equilibrium. The breakdown of brown fat, a resource babies have to regulate their temperature, occurs automatically upon exposure to cold, but since preterm infants have less body fat and underdeveloped physiological processes, the incubator plays a crucial role in temperature regulation and prevents the need for such energy-consuming heat production by the newborn.