CALGARY- A new community service program is saving many parents a trip back to hospital with concerns their new baby suffers from jaundice.
Alberta Health Services says the readmission rate for suspected cases has dropped 30 per cent since the program was introduced in 2007.
The number of unnecessary heel pokes and blood draws has fallen 75 per cent.
Jaundice is a yellowness in the skin and the whites of the eyes caused by increased levels of bilirubin in the blood.
It is common in newborns because their livers are not fully-developed.
AHS says while most cases are harmless, there is a small percentage of newborns that require treatment because excessive bilirubin levels can lead to hearing loss, brain damage and even death.
Because of the program, babies with suspected jaundice no longer have to be admitted to hospital to assess their condition. Instead of “eyeballing” the baby as they did in the past, nurses use a device called a “jaundice meter” or Transcutaneous Bilirubinometer (TcB meter) that flashes light onto the baby’s skin and uses its reflection to indicate the bilirubin level.
Nurses visit new parents and their babies within 24 to 48 hours of their discharge from hospital. If bilirubin levels are high, they can collect a blood sample on site and send it to a lab for analysis.
Only babies with high bilirubin levels are taken to the Peter Lougheed Centre, which specializes in treating newborn jaundice.
“Before the TcB meters became widely used, nurses would use their judgment and, if a baby appeared yellow, they would order or collect a blood test,” said Donna Allegro, the coordinator for the Newborn Jaundice Screening Program in a statement. “Now with the newer technology, we’re able to safely avoid unnecessary heel pokes.”
Nurses can also provide assessments on breastfeeding and arrange for access to other community resources if necessary.
Comments