A 48-hour-old male infant is ordered to have phototherapy. When his mother questions the nurse about its purpose, the nurse explains that phototherapy:

The correct answer is C. Breaks down bilirubin in the skin into substances that can be excreted in stool or urine. (A) The instillation of erythromycin ophthalmic preparation, not phototherapy, prevents ophthalmia (B) The administration of vitamin K (AquaMEPHYTON) assists the infant's clottingmechanism. (C) Excessive bilirubin accumulates when the infant's liver cannothandle the increased…

Physiological Integrity: Physiological Adaptation

Question

Options

APrevents the development of ophthalmia neonatorum
BAssists the baby's clotting mechanism
CBreaks down bilirubin in the skin into substances that can be excreted in stool or urine
DIncreases levels of unconjugated bilirubin, thereby preventing kernicterus (brain damage)

How the community answered

(31 responses)

A
3% (1)
C
94% (29)
D
3% (1)

Explanation

(A) The instillation of erythromycin ophthalmic preparation, not phototherapy, prevents ophthalmia (B) The administration of vitamin K (AquaMEPHYTON) assists the infant's clottingmechanism. (C) Excessive bilirubin accumulates when the infant's liver cannothandle the increased load caused by the breakdown of red blood cells postnatally. This excessive bilirubin seeps out of the blood and into the tissues, staining them yellow. Phototherapy accelerates the removal of bilirubin from the skin by breaking it down into substances that can be excreted in stool or urine. (D) Phototherapy decreases levels of unconjugated bilirubin, thereby preventing kernicterus.

Topics

#phototherapy mechanism#neonatal hyperbilirubinemia#bilirubin degradation#newborn jaundice

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