What finding should a nurse report from an 8-hour-old newborn?

The finding that should be reported is the apical heart rate of 90 beats per minute while the newborn is crying. In newborns, a normal heart rate typically ranges from 120 to 160 beats per minute when awake and can be even higher when crying. A heart rate of 90 when the infant is crying is significantly lower than expected and could indicate a potential issue that requires further evaluation.

Conversely, skin color changes in a newborn, while they can sometimes indicate a problem, may also be a normal adaptation during the first few hours of life. Specifically, some transitions in skin color are common as blood circulation stabilizes. A temperature of 99°F is within normal limits for a newborn, especially in response to the environment and other factors. A weight drop of 5% since birth, while it can raise some concern if it exceeds 10%, is considered a normal physiological process in the first few days of life, as newborns often lose some weight shortly after birth before starting to gain again. Thus, it is essential to monitor these findings, but they do not warrant immediate reporting compared to the low heart rate when the infant is crying.