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Examination of the Newborn Essay

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The purpose of this assignment is to explore the issue surrounding screening and examination of the new born from birth. The article will look at why we perform this examination following birth and will pay particular attention to the examination of the eye. It is documented that the purpose of the first examination of the new born is to confirm normality and to provide reassurance to the parents (MacKeith, 1995, Hall, 1999) and also to identify any apparent physical abnormality (Buston and Durward 2001). However the question that we may wish to consider is ‘what is normal in a neonatal who is undergoing major physiological adaptations to extra uterine life (Blackburn and Loper, 1993) ? How as midwives can we fulfil this expectation of …show more content…

As well as the importance of good history taking and methodical reading of the medical notes in order to identify risk factors that may require referral or simply make the examination outside the midwives role. Dezateux and Rosendahl (2007) stipulate that the overall effectiveness, harm and benefits of the examination remain controversial. Furthermore the view of the UK National Screening Committee is that if the introduction of screening for developmental dysplasia of the hip were considered now it “would probably not be accepted.” However it is difficult to obtain clear evidence about the effectiveness of the examination of the new born as it is deemed unethical to conduct a randomised controlled trial in which are group of babies do not receive an examination (Townsend et al, 2004). However the fact that babies are examined in the immediate new born period is “universally accepted as good practice” and supported by national guidance such as NICE routine postnatal care guidelines (2006), child health promotion programme (DH 2008) and the UK National Screening Committee (2008) in its standards and competencies for practice. With this in mind the next area of consideration is the timing of the examination. Almost immediately after birth the baby will be examined by the midwife to

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