What is the ideal way to monitor the heart rate during neonatal resuscitation?

Monitoring the heart rate during neonatal resuscitation is critical, as it provides essential information about the newborn's hemodynamic status and response to interventions. The most effective methods include using a stethoscope over the heart or employing electronic heart rate monitors.

Using a stethoscope allows for direct auscultation of the heartbeat, providing immediate and accurate feedback on the heart rate. Electronic heart rate monitors can offer a continuous heart rate reading, which is invaluable during resuscitation efforts. These methods are reliable and provide the clinician with real-time information that can guide treatment decisions.

Other options like counting pulses at the wrist may not be effective in newborns, as the pulselessness might lead to a delay in assessing the heart rate. Observing capillary refill time is more related to perfusion status than heart rate specifically and can be misleading in emergency situations. An external thermometer is unrelated to the assessment of heart rate and serves a different purpose in monitoring the newborn's temperature.

Thus, the ideal method highlighted ensures precise heart rate monitoring, which is critical for making informed resuscitation decisions in a newborn.