Quality standard

Quality statement 1: Information for parents or carers

Quality statement 1: Information for parents or carers

Quality statement

Parents or carers of newborn babies have a discussion with healthcare professionals and are given written information about neonatal jaundice within 24 hours of the birth, including what to look for and who to contact if they are concerned.

Rationale

Early identification of neonatal jaundice is essential to ensure that babies receive appropriate treatment for either underlying disease or hyperbilirubinaemia caused by physiological jaundice in order to prevent complications and achieve the best clinical outcomes. Advising parents or carers about what to look for and when to contact a healthcare professional will help to ensure rapid access to treatment if needed. This is particularly important in the context of early discharge from maternity units. Giving parents or carers information about neonatal jaundice will also reassure them that it is common, usually transient and harmless, and that normal feeding and normal care of the baby can usually continue (including extra support with breastfeeding). This will reduce their anxiety if their baby does develop jaundice and needs investigations or treatment. Parents or carers of newborn babies receive a large amount of information, which is why a discussion, in addition to written information, is important.

Quality measures

Structure

a) Evidence of local availability of written information about neonatal jaundice for parents or carers of newborn babies.

Data source: Local data collection.

b) Evidence of local arrangements to ensure telephone access to a relevant healthcare professional for parents or carers who are concerned about neonatal jaundice.

Data source: Local data collection.

Process

Proportion of newborn babies whose parents or carers have a discussion with healthcare professionals and receive written information about neonatal jaundice within 24 hours of the birth, including what to look for and who to contact if they are concerned.

Numerator – the number in the denominator whose parents or carers have a discussion with healthcare professionals and receive written information about neonatal jaundice within 24 hours of the birth, including what to look for and who to contact if they are concerned.

Denominator – the number of newborn babies.

Data source: Local data collection.

What the quality statement means for different audiences

Service providers ensure the availability of written information about neonatal jaundice (including what to look for and who parents or carers can contact if they are concerned) and that healthcare professionals understand and act on the need to discuss this with parents or carers of newborn babies.

Healthcare professionals ensure that they discuss neonatal jaundice with parents or carers of newborn babies and give them written information within 24 hours of the birth, including what to look for and who to contact if they are concerned.

Commissioners ensure that they commission services in which written information on neonatal jaundice is available and there is telephone access to relevant healthcare professionals for parents or carers who are concerned about jaundice.

Parents or carers of newborn babies have a discussion with healthcare professionals and are given written information about jaundice within 24 hours of the baby being born. This includes information about how to check whether the baby might have jaundice, as well as who to contact if they are concerned.

Source guidance

Jaundice in newborn babies under 28 days. NICE guideline CG98 (2010, updated 2016), recommendation 1.1.1

Definitions of terms used in this quality statement

Information about neonatal jaundice

Information about neonatal jaundice should be tailored to the needs and expressed concerns of parents or carers of newborn babies. The information should be provided through discussion backed up by written information. Care should be taken to avoid causing unnecessary anxiety to parents or carers. The combination of discussion and written information should cover:

  • factors that influence the development of significant hyperbilirubinaemia

  • how to check the baby for jaundice (signs and symptoms to look for):

    • check the naked baby in bright and preferably natural light

    • note that examination of the sclerae, gums and blanched skin is useful across all skin tones

  • who to contact if they suspect jaundice, jaundice is getting worse, or their baby is passing pale chalky stools or dark urine

  • the importance of recognising jaundice in the first 24 hours and of seeking urgent medical advice

  • the fact that neonatal jaundice is common, and reassurance that it is usually transient and harmless

  • reassurance that support will be provided to continue with normal feeding (including extra advice and support with breastfeeding) and normal care of the baby.

[Adapted from NICE's guideline on jaundice in newborn babies, recommendations 1.1.1 and 1.2.5]

See also information for the public about NICE's guideline on jaundice in newborn babies.

Equality and diversity considerations

Information about neonatal jaundice should be accessible to parents or carers with additional needs such as physical, sensory or learning disabilities, and to parents or carers who do not speak or read English. Parents or carers of babies with neonatal jaundice in any setting should have access to an interpreter or advocate if needed.

Extra support with visual checks for jaundice in babies and checking nappies for pale stools or dark urine should be provided to parents or carers with sight impairments.

It may be difficult to recognise jaundice in some babies with dark skin tones. The instructions about how to check the baby for jaundice are written to be useful across all skin tones: examination of the sclerae, gums and blanched skin in bright (preferably natural) light.