PHSA - PSBC - Newborn Screening Blood Spot Online Training Tool

This course outlines the steps to prepare to take blood collections as part of the newborn screening process. It covers topics such as equipment, techniques, and supporting families. It is suitable for new staff and as a refresher for existing staff.

Topics include:

• Documentation
• Equipment
• Collection steps
• Blood spot card examples
• Supporting families
• Special circumstances

With staff all over BC successfully completing this course, the primary goals are to improve the blood spot card quality and reduce the need for repeat collection. The secondary goals are to reduce procedural pain and support breastfeeding and the Baby-Friendly Initiative.

This course is a quality improvement initiative developed by the BC Newborn Screening Program in collaboration with BC Women's Hospital, BC Children's Hospital, Provincial Lab Medicine Services, Child Health BC, and Perinatal Services BC. Special acknowledgements and thank you to the families who participated with interviews, photography, and filming as part of this production.