Consider the following statements and select the correct answer from the codes given below: Assertion (A): KMC is a valuable method of giving nursing care to premature babies. Reason (R): This method helps in maintaining temperature, improving growth, and reducing infection in premature babies.

1. A

   Both A and R are true and R is the correct explanation of A

2. B

   A is true but R is false

3. C

   A is false but R is true

4. D

   Both A and R are false

Appeared in: UPPSC-2021

Explanation

• The Assertion (A) is correct; Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC) is a highly valuable and recommended nursing intervention for premature and low-birth-weight infants.
• The Reason (R) is also correct; KMC has well-documented benefits, including maintaining the baby's temperature, improving growth and weight gain, and reducing the risk of infections.
• The Reason (R) is the correct explanation for the Assertion (A) because the significant benefits it lists are precisely what make KMC a valuable and essential component of neonatal care.

Why Other Options Were Wrong

• Option B: This option claims the Reason (R) is false. However, the benefits of KMC listed in R (thermoregulation, improved growth, infection reduction) are scientifically proven and are the primary justifications for its use.
• Option C: This option claims the Assertion (A) is false. KMC is not a false or invaluable method; it is a globally endorsed, life-saving practice for premature infants.
• Option D: This option claims both statements are false. Both the value of KMC (Assertion A) and its core benefits (Reason R) are factually correct and supported by extensive research.

Related Visual

Clinical Relevance

• Nursing practice connection: Knowing Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC) principles and benefits for premature infants helps nurses interpret findings accurately and avoid errors in routine assessment, medication administration, and patient teaching.
• A nurse's primary role is to identify eligible infants, educate and counsel the family on the KMC procedure, and provide support to ensure its correct and consistent implementation.
• Nurses must monitor the infant's temperature, breathing, and feeding during KMC, especially in the initial stages, to ensure stability.
• What if the mother is unavailable or ill? The nurse should counsel and train another willing family member, such as the father or grandmother, to provide KMC, as the benefits of skin-to-skin contact are not limited to the mother.

How to Approach the Question

• First, evaluate the Assertion (A) as a standalone statement. Is it factually correct? In this case, 'KMC is a valuable method...' is a well-known fact in nursing.
• Next, evaluate the Reason (R) as a standalone statement. Are the claims made in the reason factually correct? Here, the benefits listed are all proven outcomes of KMC.
• Finally, determine the relationship between the two. Ask yourself: 'Does the Reason (R) explain why the Assertion (A) is true?' If the benefits in R are the cause of KMC's value in A, then R is the correct explanation.
• Based on this analysis, select the option that accurately describes the truthfulness of both statements and their relationship.

Concept Tested & Keywords

• Concept Tested: Kangaroo Mother Care (KMC) principles and benefits for premature infants.
• Stem keywords: KMC, Kangaroo Mother Care, premature babies, nursing care
• Lead-in keywords: Assertion (A), Reason (R)
• Negative lead-in flag: false

Question ID

QcpGY6nPII1crYdOAd2ZsT

Copy ID

Reference Book

E6 Ghai Essential Pediatrics(pp 26-904 of 913) p. 147-149

E6 Comprehensive Textbook of Community Health NursingShyamala D part 1 (pp 26-389 of 389) p. 171-174