Informing the family/caregiver(s) about the newborn hearing screening:
“Hi, congratulations on the birth of your baby. My name is ____________ and I am here to screen your baby’s hearing. We provide hearing screening to all babies after they are born. The hearing screening will measure how your baby responds to sound and takes just a few minutes. The test is harmless and most babies sleep through the test. We’re going to screen your baby now, but before we do, are there any questions I can answer?”
Supporting a family/caregiver(s) that refuse the newborn hearing screening:
“If you don't mind, I'd like to leave you with something to read that explains the benefits and the importance of newborn hearing screening. If you change your mind and decide you do want the screening, you can let your baby’s doctor know you’d like your baby’s hearing screened.”
Informing the family/caregiver(s) that the baby passed their hearing screening:
“Congratulations on the birth of your baby. We just finished the hearing screen. Your baby passed the hearing screening today. Even though your baby passed their hearing screening today, it is important to know that your baby’s hearing can change over time. Babies start learning how to communicate as soon as they are born. Here is a brochure that talks about how babies develop hearing and communication skills. If you are ever worried about your baby’s hearing, talk to your baby’s doctor right away and ask for a referral to a pediatric audiologist who specializes in testing infants and young children.”
Informing the family/caregiver(s) that a baby did not pass their hearing screening in one or both ears before discharge:
“Congratulations on the birth of your baby. We just finished the hearing screen. Your baby did not pass the screening today. This does not necessarily mean that your baby has a permanent hearing loss, but without additional testing, we can’t be sure. Not passing a hearing screening means that further testing is needed to understand what your baby hears. We will provide the screening results to your baby’s doctor and referral to a pediatric audiologist who specializes in testing infants and young children. Be sure you make and keep this appointment with the pediatric audiologist. It is important that we understand what your baby hears so we can support you and your baby and make sure your baby has the best chance of meeting important developmental milestones.
Informing the family/caregiver(s) about an inconclusive screen:
“We attempted to screen your baby’s hearing, but we weren’t able to complete the test. Some babies need to be screened more than once in order to get an accurate result. We will be back in a few hours to re-screen your baby.”
*Scripts were adapted from the National Center for Hearing Assessment and Management (NCHAM) Newborn Hearing Screening Training Curriculum (NHSTC 2020).
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