New Zealand EMT CAD Practice Test 2025 – Complete Exam Prep

When assessing a newborn with a heart rate of 80 bpm and poor respiratory effort, providing ventilations at 60 per minute is the appropriate intervention. In the context of newborn resuscitation, a heart rate below 100 bpm, accompanied by inadequate breathing, indicates the presence of respiratory distress that requires immediate intervention.

The focus during such a situation is to ensure that the newborn is adequately ventilated, as effective breathing can help improve oxygenation and potentially restore a normal heart rate. Ventilations at a rate of 60 per minute is a guideline based on neonatal resuscitation protocols, ensuring that the newborn receives enough breaths to support their respiratory needs while monitoring their response.

While starting chest compressions may be necessary if the heart rate drops below 60 bpm, it is not indicated at this stage since the heart rate is at 80 bpm. Administering oxygen is important but does not directly address the immediate need for adequate ventilation. Checking for other vital signs is useful for a comprehensive assessment but does not provide immediate support for the newborn's compromised respiratory effort. Thus, delivering ventilations at the appropriate rate is the priority in this scenario.