Prior to administering the Hepatitis B vaccine to a newborn, what should the nurse do?

When preparing to administer the Hepatitis B vaccine to a newborn, obtaining parental consent is crucial. This step ensures that the parents or guardians are fully informed about the vaccine, its purpose, potential benefits, and any risks involved. It also aligns with ethical and legal standards in healthcare practice by respecting the rights of parents to make informed decisions regarding their child's health care.

Parental consent acts as a key safeguard, ensuring that the family is engaged in the health decisions affecting their newborn. This process also fosters trust and communication between healthcare providers and families, which is vital in pediatric care. Ultimately, having the authorization from parents reflects an important aspect of patient-centered care, allowing families to participate actively in the health management of their child.

While other considerations such as assessing the infant's temperature or checking for jaundice are relevant in different contexts of care, they do not take precedence over the need for informed consent when administering a vaccine. The request for a blood screen is also not standard practice prior to vaccination unless there are specific clinical indications that warrant such testing.