Treating and managing asymptomatic at-risk newborns for hypoglycemia relies on sticking to the basics - reinforcing the clinical skills of obtaining a heel-stick blood sample is one intervention some teams have deemed a priority. Utilizing the PQCNC video titled, “Proper Heel-stick Demonstration” and the PQCNC illustration outlining proper puncture site, teams are requiring their staff to view these resources prior to performing return demonstrations of the skill. Some teams have even added these informative tools to their annual education blitzes and new hire orientations to ensure continued competency with the skill. Though obtaining a heel-stick blood sample is a high-frequency clinical task performed daily, teams have recognized incorrect habits have formed over time potentially leading to inaccurate results. Going back to the basics and reviewing this critical task is helping to ensure the most accurate blood glucose sample is obtained, resulting in optimal management of the newborn at-risk.
