Educate parents about newborn hearing screening
Prepare quiet infant for screening
Screen both ears (ABR Tips, OAE Testing Steps & Do's and Don'ts)
Rescreen before discharge if initial result is a REFER (REFER = Not Passing Result)
Document final inpatient result in Baby's medical record
Report final inpatient results to the parent, primary care provider, and MDH Newborn Screening Program through secure MNScreen reporting platform
- Hearing PASS Result* (English) *Available in English, Hmong, Karen, Russian, Somali and Spanish (Hearing PASS Result Order form)
- Hearing ALERT: REFER Result* (English) *Available in English, Hmong, Karen, Russian, Somali and Spanish (Hearing ALERT: REFER Result order form)
- Tips for Communicating Results to Families
Schedule follow-up appointment prior to discharge for infants who do not pass
Have a plan for missed screens, transfers (in and out), and equipment breakdown

Tips For Improvement

Misconception: Abnormal OAE's along with flat tympanograms (normal volume) confirms a conductive hearing loss

Clinical Fact: Diagnostic ABR including bone conduction testing is needed in combination with OAE's and tympanograms for a complete diagnosis of type and degree of hearing loss in each ear

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Misconception: Hearing screening is not needed if there is no family history of hearing loss

Clinical Fact: More than 90% of infants with hearing loss have two parents with normal hearing

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Misconception: Babies need to be sedated to complete ABR testing

Clinical Fact: Babies younger than 3 months can typically be tested without need for sedation

More Hearing Screening Myths and Clinical Facts

Best Practice Guidelines

Resources

National

2019 Joint Committee on Infant Hearing Position Statement

Supplement to the JCIH 2007 Position Statement: Principles and Guidelines for Early Intervention After Confirmation That a Child Is Deaf or Hard of Hearing

Minnesota

Guidelines for Universal Newborn Hearing Screening in the Well Baby Nursery

Guidelines for Universal Newborn Hearing Screening in the NICU

"I was really upset when my daughter did not pass her hearing screening. The nurse said it was probably just fluid in the baby's ears. This was comforting but could have been detrimental as I almost blew off the follow-up appointment. Luckily I went to the appointment and was shocked by the news that my daughter had hearing loss in both ears."

Tools for Improvement

Resources

Materials marked with * are available to order free-of-charge on the Minnesota Newborn Screening Program website.

Resources for Providers

Newborn Hearing Screening Fact Sheet (PDF)

Sample Competency Checklist for Screeners Performing Newborn Hearing Screening (PDF)

Sample Newborn Hearing Screening Policy and Procedure for the Newborn Nursery (PDF)

The Sample Policy and Procedure document above was created as a guide for your own internal policy and procedure regarding newborn hearing screening. If you would like to have an editable Word version, you can email us your request at ehdi@state.mn.us

Sample Newborn Hearing Screening Flowchart: Well Baby Nursery (PDF)

Sample Newborn Hearing Screening Flowchart: NICU and Special Care Nursery (PDF)

Sample Newborn Hearing Screening Flowchart: Out-of-Hospital Births (PDF)

ABR Tips (PDF)

OAE Testing Steps & Dos and Don'ts (PDF)

Risk Factors for Early Childhood Hearing Loss: Guidelines for Infants who Pass Newborn Hearing Screening (PDF)

Hearing Screening Result and Follow-up Process for the Well-Baby Nursery (PDF)

Hearing Screening Result and Follow-up Process for NICU Graduates (PDF)

How to Communicate Results

Hearing PASS Result* (English (PDF)) *Available in English, Hmong, Karen, Russian, Somali and Spanish (Hearing PASS Result order form)

Hearing ALERT: REFER Result* (English (PDF)) *Available in English, Hmong, Karen, Russian, Somali and Spanish (Hearing ALERT: REFER Result order form)

Tips for Communicating REFER Results to Families (PDF)

MN EHDI Patient Checklist for Primary Care Providers (PDF)

Hearing Screening Follow-up Process (PDF)

Hearing and Speech Milestones (PDF)

Parent Preparation for Audiology Appointment Form (PDF)

EHDI Teach-back Tool (PDF)

Resources for Families

Your Baby's Hearing Screening and Next Steps

Hearing Developmental Milestones (2nd page of Hearing PASS Result) (PDF)

Hearing Screening Family Fact Sheet (REFER / Did Not Pass) (PDF)

Resources in the Community

Minnesota Hands and Voices

Minnesota Hands and Voices: Resource Directory

Training Opportunities

Newborn Hearing Screening Training Curriculum (NCHAM)

Improvement in Action

Newborn Hearing Screening Training (NCHAM)

The National Center for Hearing Assessment and Management (NCHAM) provides Newborn Hearing Screening Training

See Module 3 for Otoacoustic Emissions (OAE)
See Module 4 for Automated Auditory Brainstem Response (A-ABR)

Standardize the process for documenting all newborn screening results in the hospital records

Record and report the results accurately to the state EHDI program via the blood specimen card

Standardize communications (written and verbal) with parents about newborn screening results

Verify the PCP/Medical Home before discharge (vital to ensure accurate follow-up)

Communicate did not pass results to the PCP/Medical Home as a modified critical value requiring confirmation

Identify two points of contact for families of infants who did not pass (i.e. a relative or friend)

Provide clear communication about next steps

Schedule the follow-up appointment prior to discharge, stressing importance with families

Offer a referral to local public health for infants who did not pass