The nurse is caring for a patient that has been addicted to drugs for several years. The patient has just delivered a male infant 48 hours ago. Which of the following assessment findings can the nurse expect in the infant?

Explanation

•The first dose of the hepatitis B vaccine is usually administered at birth, but it can also be given within the first 2 months of life. The second dose should be given 1 month after the first dose. The third dose must be given when the child is 6 to 18 months-old.

•Hepatitis B vaccine is not effective after the infant is already infected with hepatitis B. The vaccine is intended to prevent the hepatitis B infection, but it is not used as a curative agent in the presence of infection.

•If an infant is born to an infected mother, hepatitis B can be prevented if the infant receives hepatitis B immune globulin and the first dose of the hepatitis B vaccine within 12 hours of birth.

•The vaccine must be directly administered to the infant, not the mother.

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