Republic of the Philippines

UNIVERSITY OF EASTERN PHILIPPINES

University Town, Northern Samar
Web: uep.edu.ph Email: uepnsofficial@gmail.com

GRADUATE STUDIES
MASTER OF ARTS IN NURSING
FHN 103

EVALUATION OF THE STANDARDS

IN MATERNAL AND CHILD HEALTH CARE

NEWBORN SCREENING POLICY

CATARMAN DOCTORS HOSPITAL, INC.

Newborn Screening is a simple blood test taken by pricking the newborn’s heel. It can identify babies who may have one of a number of
treatable metabolic disorders. Early detection allows for treatment that may prevent or greatly reduce the health concerns associated with these
disorders.

NOT
POLICIES/PROGRAMS/GUIDELINES STANDARDS OBSERVED ANALYSIS
OBSERVED
COLLECTION:

Part of the package of

All newborn shall undergo Newborn Screening prior to The nurse helps children and parents PhilHealth.
/
discharge. attain and maintain optimum health.
No refusal noted.

Newborn screening shall be performed by a trained The nurse assists families to achieve /
healthcare provider preferably after twenty-four (24) hours and maintain a balance between the
of life but not later than 72 hours of life or three (3) days personal growth needs of individual
from complete delivery of the newborn. family members and optimum family

Ensure that the address and phone number provided are
complete and correct.
The blood sample may be collected by the physician, nurse,
med-tech, or trained midwife.
A newborn that must be placed in intensive care in order to
ensure survival may be exempted from the 3-day
requirement but must be tested by seven (7) days of age.
All babies delivered in Catarman Doctors’ Hospital may
have Newborn Screening automatically even without the
order of the Attending Physician provided of the following:
a. Babies without oral feeding or on NPO are NOT
TO HAVE newborns screening until ordered by the
Attending Physician.
b. Roomed in babies due for newborn screening shall
be sent to NICU for the blood sample collection.
c. Babies who were not born in the hospital but
requested for newborn screening shall have their
blood sample collected at the NICU after they have
settled their bills and presented their receipts.
functioning.
The nurse actively pursues strategies to
enhance access to and use of adequate /
healthcare services.
The nurse improves maternal and child
health nursing practice through Performed by Nurses
/
evaluation of practice, education, and mostly.
research
The nurse intervenes with vulnerable
clients and families at risk to prevent
potential developmental and health
problems. /
The nurse promotes an environment
free of hazards to reproduction, growth,
wellness and recovery from illness.
The nurse detects changes in health
status and deviations from optimum
development. /
The nurse promotes an environment
free of hazards to reproduction, growth,
wellness and recovery from illness.
/
The nurse carries out appropriate
interventions and treatment to facilitate
survival and recovery from illness.
 /

NBS filter card are to have complete entries prior to blood /

sample collection. The nurse actively pursues strategies to
enhance access to and use of adequate
The filter card numbers should be documented unto which healthcare services.
newborns it was used. /

Appropriate heel prick technique should be performed. The nurse carries out appropriate
interventions and treatment to facilitate
Filter cards should be dried for at least 6 hours. survival and recovery from illness. /

All preterm, low birth weight, and sick babies shall have
their NBS sample collected IMMEDIATELY AFTER 24
The nurse intervenes with vulnerable
HOURS OF LIFE, unless blood transfusion is to be
clients and families at risk to prevent
performed. If the baby is to receive blood transfusion, NBS /
potential developmental and health
sample collection shall be done PRIOR TO TRANSFUSION
problems.
REGARDLESS OF THE BABY’S AGE from the time of
birth.

The nurse detects changes in health

status and deviations from optimum
development.
Some cases of repeat
Repeat NBS sample collection for these babies shall be
The nurse assists clients and families to collection were done in the
taken on the 28th day of life. Babies discharged prior to 28th /
understand and cope with developing RHUs due to geographical
day must be recalled for the repeat sample collection.
and traumatic situations during illness, isolated areas.
childbearing, and childhood.

REFUSAL
A parent or legal guardian may refuse testing on the
grounds of religious beliefs and some other reason, but
shall acknowledge in writing their understanding that refusal The nurse assists clients and families to
understand and cope with developing / No known case of refusal to
for testing places their newborn at risk for undiagnosed
heritable conditions. and traumatic situations during illness, NBS collection
childbearing, and childhood.
A copy of this refusal documentation shall be made part of
the newborn's medical record.
/

SENDING

Specimens should be handled with care as specified by the The nurse actively pursues strategies to
newborn screening protocol and sent to the nearest enhance access to and use of adequate
newborn screening centers for the intended tests. healthcare services.

1. Specimen collected on the morning shall be sent at

least two hours after filter cards were appropriately
dried.
/
2. Properly Labeled JRS Stickers should be made and
secured.

3. Filter cards should be sent in a white long mailing /

envelop stacked alternately and wrapped in a white
bond paper.

4. The hospital liaison officer or driver should have a

schedule of pickup of the filter cards from the NICU
/
and should be informed to send the filter cards in the
nearest JRS outlet.

5. The Liaison officer should sign into a logbook upon

receipt of the filter cards.

RESULT
1. Results are available at least 7-14 working days from
the time the samples are received at the NSC
(newborn screening center.)
2. Results are initially received by the Newborn
Screening Coordinator and forwarded to the NICU.
3. NICU Nurses are to ensure that a photocopy be
made and filed while original result is to be forwarded
to the Medical Records Office for filing into the chart.
4. Parents of the newborns who had newborn screening
are to be informed of the availability of the newborn
screening results by the NICU Nurses on Duty.
RECALL
Babies with positive result should be referred at once to a
specialist for confirmatory testing and further management.
1. Positive NBS results are immediately relayed to the
/
/
The nurse actively pursues strategies to
enhance access to and use of adequate /
healthcare services.
The nurse assists clients and families to
understand and cope with developing
and traumatic situations during illness, /
childbearing, and childhood.
The nurse carries out appropriate
interventions and treatment to facilitate
survival and recovery from illness.
 parents and attending physician by the Newborn
Screening Coordinator. (Positive screen means that
the newborn must be brought back to the health
practitioner for further testing).
2. NICU Nurses on Duty who will receive and file the
NBS result shall ensure that parents of the baby were
notified of the result and are subjected for
confirmatory testing.
3. Confirmatory blood sample collection shall be done
by the Catarman Doctors’ Hospital Medical
Technologist as an OPD patient or of a higher
institution.
DOCUMENTATION
All NBS results that are either positive or negative shall be
logged in the Newborn Screening Logbook and the
Newborn Screening Result Monitoring Logbook.
The sticker part of the Filter Card with its Number shall be
attached to the Claim Form 1 (CF1) of the Phil health Forms
for claims and forwarded to the Phil health officer upon
signing in the logbook.
The nurse intervenes with vulnerable
/
clients and families at risk to prevent
potential developmental and health
problems.
The nurse actively pursues strategies to
enhance access to and use of adequate
healthcare services.
/
The nurse assists clients and families to
understand and cope with developing
and traumatic situations during illness,
childbearing, and childhood.
The nurse actively pursues strategies to /
enhance access to and use of adequate
healthcare services.
The nurse improves maternal and child
health nursing practice through /
evaluation of practice, education, and
research
INVENTORY

Filter cards should always be made available. A stock level

of five filter cards should warrant for reordering and stocking
of new cards following the specified procedures:

1. NICU Nurses on Duty should at all times maintain

/
the inventory of NBS Filter Cards. The nurse actively pursues strategies to
enhance access to and use of adequate
2. Inform the NICU Head Nurse when the stock level
healthcare services.
is almost consuming and is near the order level of /
five filter cards. The nurse improves maternal and child
health nursing practice through
3. Fill up COMPLETELY the Newborn Screening
evaluation of practice, education, and
Purchase Order Form.
research
4. Inform the Newborn Screening Coordinator to /
facilitate the issuance of check

5. Send the P.O. Form along with the crossed check

/
via LBC or thru e-mail.

Upon the arrival of the NBS filter card, record the numbers
and add up in the inventory. /