A Nurse Prepares to Administer a Vitamin K Injection to a Newborn

Multiple Choice

A nurse prepares to administer a vitamin K injection to a newborn infant. The mother asks the nurse why her newborn infant needs the injection. The best response by the nurse would be:

A) "Your infant needs vitamin K to develop immunity."
B) "The vitamin K will protect your infant from being jaundiced."
C) "Newborn infants are deficient in vitamin K, and this injection prevents your infant from abnormal bleeding."
D) "Newborn infants have sterile bowels, and vitamin K promotes the growth of bacteria in the bowel."