A nurse is caring for a postterm newborn who is 42 weeks gestation. Which nursing intervention should be the priority for this infant?

A 42-week gestation newborn is admitted to the well-baby nursery. The nurse prioritizes blood glucose monitoring based on the following evidence-based protocol.

• Screening Initiation: Obtain point-of-care blood glucose at 1 hour of life, before the second feeding, or at any time symptoms of hypoglycemia (jitteriness, lethargy, poor feeding, temperature instability) are observed.
• Frequency: For asymptomatic at-risk infants, screen before feeds for the first 12–24 hours. If initial glucose is < 40–45 mg/dL (2.2–2.5 mmol/L), increase frequency to every 1–2 hours and notify the provider.
• Intervention Thresholds: Symptomatic hypoglycemia or glucose < 25–30 mg/dL (1.4–1.7 mmol/L) warrants immediate IV dextrose bolus (2 mL/kg D10W) and continuous infusion. Asymptomatic infants with glucose 30–45 mg/dL may be managed with feeding (breast milk or formula) and recheck in 1 hour.
• Ongoing Monitoring: Taper monitoring once glucose levels remain stable > 50–60 mg/dL (2.8–3.3 mmol/L) for three consecutive pre-feed checks. Document all results and feeding tolerance.

Rationale: Postterm infants have depleted hepatic glycogen stores due to placental aging and insufficiency. They cannot mount an adequate counter-regulatory response, placing them at high risk for neuroglycopenic injury if hypoglycemia is not promptly identified and corrected.