What is the first action a nurse should take when caring for a newborn who is large for gestational age and jittery?

The first action a nurse should take when caring for a newborn who is large for gestational age and jittery is to check the newborn's blood glucose level. This is crucial because jitteriness can be a sign of hypoglycemia, which is a condition where blood sugar levels fall below the normal range. Newborns, particularly those who are large for gestational age, are at higher risk for having low blood sugar due to various factors such as maternal diabetes or increased metabolic demands.

By checking the blood glucose level, the nurse can assess whether hypoglycemia is indeed the underlying cause of the jitteriness. This timely assessment allows for appropriate and potentially immediate interventions to be implemented based on the findings. If the blood glucose level is low, the nurse can then take the necessary steps to administer glucose, ensuring the newborn is stabilized.

In contrast, while administering intravenous glucose could be necessary if hypoglycemia is confirmed, it should not be the first step without validating the blood sugar levels. Providing a warm blanket is important for ensuring the newborn's thermal stability, but it does not address the immediate risk of hypoglycemia. Observing the newborn for other symptoms can be useful, but checking the blood glucose should take priority to quickly identify and treat any possible