Myelomeningocele Nursing Measures: Protecting Newborns from Further Complications
What are the important nursing measures to protect a newborn with myelomeningocele from injury and further complications during the preoperative period?
A. Maintain the newborn in a lateral position
B. Measure the frontal-occipital circumference to assess for hydrocephalus
C. Cover the sac with Vaseline gauze to protect it from drying out
D. Change the diaper frequently to prevent contamination of the sac with meconium
Answer:
To protect a newborn with myelomeningocele from further complications, nursing measures like covering the sac with Vaseline gauze, frequent diaper changes to avoid meconium contamination, and monitoring for hydrocephalus by measuring the frontal-occipital circumference are important.
A newborn female diagnosed with myelomeningocele, a form of spina bifida that involves extensive damage to the nervous tissue, requires specific preoperative nursing measures to prevent further complications. One of these critical measures includes covering the sac with Vaseline gauze to prevent it from drying out. Moreover, it's significant to frequently change the baby's diaper to prevent contamination of the sac with meconium, the newborn's first stool which has the potential to cause infection. Lastly, measuring the frontal-occipital circumference can also be beneficial as it is a method to assess for hydrocephalus, a condition causing increased pressure in the brain that can sometimes accompany myelomeningocele.