Many babies in Wisconsin are born in settings outside of the Hospital. This may include births that take place at home or in freestanding birthing centers. Universal screening for CCHD using pulse oximetry is recommended for all babies in Wisconsin, regardless of location of delivery.
The goal of the Wisconsin SHINE Project is to make sure all newborns are screened for Critical Congenital Heart Disease (CCHD) using pulse oximetry, including those born at free-standing birth centers or at home. We encourage midwives interested in participating in this valuable, life-saving program to contact the Wisconsin SHINE Project.
The greatest challenges to screening babies born outside the hospital are access to screening equipment, timing the screen appropriately, and ensuring timely follow up when needed. Midwives participating in the Wisconsin SHINE Project will be provided with the following assistance:
- Basic pulse oximetry screening information
- Pulse oximetry screening equipment
- Standardized protocols for CCHD Screening in the out-of-hospital setting
- 24 hour technical support of screening with the Wisconsin SHINE Project Hotline
- Staff and parent education materials
- Assistance with appropriate referrals for newborns that fail CCHD screening
Midwives that qualify for the SHINE program and agree to reporting and data collection requirement will be given a hand-held pulse oximetry unit and supplies for use in the out-of-hospital setting. Results of pulse oximetry screening will be collected in a database and used to evaluate universal screening for CCHD in newborns.
