Transcutaneous bilirubinometer machine

All new born infants should be examined for jaundice at every opportunity, especially in the first 72 hours of life. Parents, carers and healthcare professionals should all look for jaundice (visual inspection) in babies. When inspecting for jaundice, the healthcare professional must check the naked baby in bright and preferably natural light and examine the sclerae, gums and blanched skin in all babies. The bilirubin concentration must be measured in all babies with visible jaundice; it is not acceptable to rely on visual inspection alone. Our policy advises the use of a transcutaneous bilirubinometer (TCB) as this is suitable to estimate serum bilirubin concentration in jaundiced babies.