TC Bilirubin checks...how often?

oceanwater16 · Nov 17, 2005

I also work in Texas and we do TC bili checks:

1) Any time a baby looks yellow

2) As soon as results are called that a baby is Coombs + (followed by serum at 24 hours)

3) At 24 and 48 hours of age

RNsweetie · Nov 17, 2005

In my unit we call the lab to do this and we call it a bili index when a babe who is >37 weeks looks yellow (after 24 hrs of age, if before then serum), some babes go home without ever having a bili done (serum or index)

The

Erin

midwife2b · Nov 18, 2005

Babies who have more than just facial jaundice by 24 hr. of age...

MOST of the breast feeding babies (part of a multicenter study being done) at 24 and 48 hr (if they are still there)

Term stressed/resucitated babies at 24 hr.

Any baby whose cord was not clamped by 5 min of age (some of the patients don't want the cord cut right away; again it is part of the multicenter study)

Feeding difficulty any gestation

SmilingBluEyes · Nov 18, 2005

As above and within 6 hours of discharge on EVERY baby. If "high risk" (we plot on a graph based on age/other factors) we must follow up w/serum bili's.

JaneyW · Nov 18, 2005

We only do them if we suspect a high bili due to color and prior to discharge. It is followed by a serum if needed. There is no protocol for routine use except at discharge.

Mythreeangels · Nov 18, 2005

Does anyone know of a criteria estabished by any pediatric organizations?

midwife2b · Nov 19, 2005

Does anyone know of a criteria estabished by any pediatric organizations?

It is my understanding that there are false positives and negatives with the transutaneous device, and that is being looked at with the study our facility is involved in. Some babies who look yellow have had transutaneous and serum levels done at the same time, with discrepancies in the results.

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