Newborn Screening: The Nurse's Role

Course overview

Screening newborns is critical, because some babies are born with potentially life-threatening diseases that may not be obvious at birth. Nurses who care for newborns should know which conditions their state regularly screens for at birth and the specialists available for medical management. With increased awareness, nurses can ensure that infants are screened accurately and that affected families receive prompt referrals for the services they require. This educational activity provides an overview of newborn screening and the processes needed to avoid false-positive or false-negative results. It also discusses several diseases individually and provides information about different modes of inheritance.