A quick guide to the

Badger Data Collection

System

Prepared by
Helen Dyson
NICU SpR, July 2007
 Introduction
• The Badger PDM (Patient Data Management)
system is internet-based secure system allowing
collection of data about babies admitted to the
neonatal unit. It is being used in all neonatal units in
the network.

• A detailed “Badger System User Guide”, useful for

learning how to navigate the site, can be found at
nww.neonatal.nhs.uk by opening the “Help and
information” folder on the left of the screen.

• This guide is will provide a brief overview of how to

use the system and will outline how we can use the
system to produce high quality admission
summaries and discharge letters.

• Some obvious benefits of the Badger system are:

– Data only entered once but used for multiple
purposes
– Production of comprehensive admission
summaries
– Production of high quality discharge letters
– Ease of transfer of information for transferred
babies
– Level of care data generated (previously
collected separately)
– Potential for Badger system to be used to collect
audit data in the future
 How to use the system
• The Badger system can only be accessed from an
NHS computer with a valid username and
password. These will be issued at the start of your
post.

• To log on the system click on the Badger system

icon on your desktop. Alternatively, go to
nww.neonatal.nhs.uk. and click on the link, located
on the right of the screen:

This will bring up a log in screen. Once you have

logged in, you can access the patient homepage:
 How to use the system
• The patient homepage has various sections,
labelled with blue and green headings:

• The patient data section is where data entered into

the system. When a baby is admitted, the admitting
doctor on ANNP should complete all forms listed
under the headings “Baby and parents” and
“Pregnancy and delivery” and also the “Admission
details form”.

• The patient report section is used to generate

admission and discharge summaries. These will
appear as PDF document which cannot be altered.
If you look at a admission or discharge summary
before printing and find an omission or mistake, you
need to go back to the patient data section and
amend the record.
 How to use the system

• The things to do section highlights data that needs

entering. The example above shows which forms
need completing when a baby is first admitted. This
section provides a useful reminder for staff to keep
patient data up to date.

• The data quality section highlights incomplete data.

Forms with incomplete data are also marked on the
patient home page with a blue star. However, it is
important to understand that in this section, only
data items important for data collection systems
(such as the neonatal audit) are highlighted. It is
possible to have several incomplete sections
without a problem being highlighted in the data
quality section. Missing data not highlighted here
will become apparent when you look at a summary
before printing. This section also highlights data
items which are outside the normal range, providing
a data accuracy check.
 Admitting a baby
• In order to admit a baby, the Badger system
requires an NHS number. If this is not known, a
temporary number can be created by following the
instructions on the screen below:

• The NHS number needs to be entered as soon as it

is available.
 Admitting a baby
• On admission, the following forms need completion:

• These forms are self explanatory. Please remember

to enter and admission temperature and base
excess to allow the generation of a CRIBII score.

• Pregnancy details form:

– Enter relevant history in the “History of pregnancy”
free text box, for example:
• Additional scans/monitoring in pregnancy
• Admissions during pregnancy
• Antenatal dopplers
• Dates of antenatal steroids

• Labour and delivery details form:

– Enter relevant history in the “Labour history” free text
box, give, for example:
• Indication for emergency LSCS,
• CTG trace interpretation
• Fetal scalp pH
– Make brief notes in the “Condition at birth” and
“Resuscitation” free text boxes.
 Admitting a baby
• Previous pregnancies form:
– For each pregnancy record:
• Year of birth
• Place of birth
• Sex, gestation, birth weight
• Mode of delivery
• Outcome

• GP/Contacts details form:

– Use the UK GP Database to locate the GP. This
will automatically enter the GP’s contact details.
The search can be done by using the name or
postcode.

• Remember to enter information into the “Admission

details form”, including the primary reason for
admission and primary diagnoses on admission.

• If a baby is transferred from a hospital within the

network, go to the unit transfers tab and admit the
baby by clicking on their name, which should appear
in the “transfers in” section. If it does not, contact
the referring centre and ask them to transfer the
baby on their system.
 Daily jobs
• Daily summary form
– Each day, the doctor or ANNP reviewing a baby
needs to enter information into the daily summary
form. This can be accessed via the baby’s homepage
tab or the unit daily update tab.
– Most items are self-explanatory but in the “General
information section”:
• Be careful to enter the correct weight for the baby
(working weight, not actual weight).
• All babies on the neonatal unit should be marked as
NICU or transitional care (no babies marked as PNW).
– Once you have entered the data, click on save and
close and the unit daily update will be updated within a
few seconds.

• “Things to do” list

– Look at this each day and update any outstanding
items
• Data quality checklists
– Look at this each day and enter any missing data
• Biochemical screening form
– Remember to document when Guthrie cards have
been sent
 Discharging a baby
• When a baby is discharged, it is important that the
doctor or ANNP checks the “Things to do” and“Data
quality” lists and all patient data forms to ensure that
all information has been entered. If this is not done
at discharge then the patient data may be left
incomplete meaning it can not be used for purposes
such as the national neonatal audit.

• Once this has been done the following forms need

completing:

• Clinical summary of stay form:

– This is divided up into sections based on body
systems.
– Most sections have a drop down menu or tick
box along with a free text box.
– In the free text box you need to write a summary
of treatment for that system, just as you would if
writing a conventional discharge summary.
– There is also a section for recording
communication with parents.
 Discharging a baby
• General discharge details form:

– Drugs and immunisations

• List drugs including dose, frequency and required
dose per kg if relevant (e.g. diuretics)
• List immunisations given and dates
• State that no contraindication to routine schedule

– Follow-up details
• Enter neonatal follow up in drop down menu
• Enter other follow up in free text box

– Discharge summary section

• Use this section to give a short summary of the
main problems. You do not need to divide this up
into headings (CVS, Resp etc) as this is done in
the”Clinical summary of stay form”.

– GP letter added details

• This section can be used to create a standard
introduction for a GP letter.
• If the baby is being transferred to another
hospital, create a short introduction e.g. “Thank
you for accepting this baby for …”
• Tick the box “ignore empty headings” so that
unnecessary fields are not included in the letter.

• Once all data has been entered, an admission

summary can be reviewed, printed, signed and
dated and filed.
 Problems with Badger
• The Nottingham Neonatal Service has been
using the Badger system since 1st July 2007.
We are all learning how to make the most of
the system and need you to highlight any
problems or questions you have.

• The system has been used in other units for

several years, meaning that any problems you
have with the system may have come up
before and have an easy solution.

• If you come across a problem you can:

– Look at the more comprehensive “Badger
System User Guide” at nww.neonatal.nhs.uk
– Speak to colleagues who may have used the
system longer than you
– Speak to or e-mail Dr Wardle or Dr Dorling

• Similarly, if you have an idea about how we

can better use the system, please let us know.
 Badger guide – summary page
• Admission
– Complete all patient data forms
– Print admission summary, sign and date and file in
notes

• Daily jobs
– Complete daily summary form (generates level of
care)
– Check “Things to do list”
– Check “Problems” in Data Quality area and get any
missing data

• Discharge
– Complete all “Things to do” and “Data quality”
problems
– Complete “Clinical summary of stay form”
– Complete “General discharge details form”
– Check through other forms for any other missing data
– Check through then print discharge summary
– Give the discharge summary to the secretaries to
check and add any extra details

• Transfers out
– Complete data entry as for any discharge
– Ensure prompt discharge as the receiving hospital will
only be able to access the baby’s data once this is
done.

• Transfers in (if in network)

– Check baby in “Transfers in” area
– If not, contact referring hospital

• Keep us up to date with your problems, questions

and ideas.