Specimen Collection Requirements

Specimen Collection Requirements 1. The specimen must be dried blood spots for screening and whole blood for confirmatory testing. Specimen should be collected according to the instructions issued by the Newborn Screening Program and as specified in the Child Health and Public Health Nursing Manuals. 2. Newborn screening should be performed prior to hospital discharge. Any specimen collected prior to 24 hours of age will require repeat specimen collection. 3. Newborn screening collection for Hgb is accepted for testing under the assumption that the infant has not been transfused. This statement is noted on Mississippi's newborn screening collection card. The most recent transfusion date must be appropriately documented on the collection card. 4. The performing laboratory must receive the specimen within five working days of the date of collection. All specimens requiring repeat testing will be monitored by the Newborn Screening Program as follows: a. Specimen repeated due to lack of information will be the responsibility of the originating hospital. b. All other repeat specimen will be followed by the patient's local county health department unless there is a special circumstance. 5. A Mississippi State Department of Health newborn screening collection card must be completed in full and accompany the specimen. It is critical that the data on the collection card be accurate; the information entered must be compatible with that recorded on the infant's birth certificate. The collection card must be completed according to the instructions issued by the Newborn Screening Program. SOURCE: Miss. Code Ann. § 41-21-201 Subchapter 3. CCHD Reporting Rule 1.3.1 Reporting Requirements 1. All infants will receive a CCHD screening after 24 hours of age or before discharge. a. All infants should be on room-air for at least 24 hours and asymptomatic, including those in the NICU. b. Neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) infants who are stable and preparing for discharge. c. Infants with a prenatal diagnosis of a cardiac defect or infants who have already had a complete postnatal echocardiogram performed should be excluded. d. CCHD results must be entered on the collection card for all screens done. i. If the CCHD screening results are not available and the bloodspot is ready to be shipped. Ship the bloodspot specimen once it is dried.