Neonatal Nurse Practitioner Practice Exam

What type of heat loss is minimized by using caps on infants in cribs?

1. Conduction

2. Evaporation

3. Convection

4. Radiation

The correct answer is: Convection

Using caps on infants in cribs primarily minimizes heat loss through convection. Convection heat loss occurs when cooler air circulates around the infant, effectively drawing heat away from their body. By covering the head, the cap creates a barrier that reduces airflow around the infant's head, thus helping to maintain body temperature. While conduction, evaporation, and radiation also represent forms of heat loss, they are not directly addressed by the use of caps. Conduction involves direct contact with a cooler surface, such as touching a cold object, while evaporation relates to moisture on the skin cooling as it transitions to vapor. Radiation involves heat being lost to cooler objects in the environment without direct contact. Caps are specifically effective in reducing the impact of circulating cooler air, which characterizes convection heat loss.