To assess jaundice in a newborn, what should you do?

To assess jaundice in a newborn, what should you do?

• A. Squeeze the infant's nail beds
• B. Apply pressure with a finger on the infant's forehead
• C. Apply pressure with a finger over the umbilical area
• D. Squeeze the infant's brachial area

Answer: (D)

To assess jaundice in a newborn, you assess color changes by blanching the skin. Gently press a finger on a light-colored area with thin skin—commonly the forehead or sternum—until the skin blanches, then release and look for any yellow tinge that appears as blood flow returns. If yellow coloration is visible after blanching, especially in areas like the sclera of the eyes, jaundice may be present. This blanching test helps you see bilirubin-induced color changes more clearly than natural skin color alone. Squeezing the nail beds checks capillary refill time, not jaundice. Pressing over the umbilical area isn’t a standard method for assessing jaundice, and squeezing the brachial area isn’t a reliable or typical site for this purpose.

To assess jaundice in a newborn, you assess color changes by blanching the skin. Gently press a finger on a light-colored area with thin skin—commonly the forehead or sternum—until the skin blanches, then release and look for any yellow tinge that appears as blood flow returns. If yellow coloration is visible after blanching, especially in areas like the sclera of the eyes, jaundice may be present. This blanching test helps you see bilirubin-induced color changes more clearly than natural skin color alone.

Squeezing the nail beds checks capillary refill time, not jaundice. Pressing over the umbilical area isn’t a standard method for assessing jaundice, and squeezing the brachial area isn’t a reliable or typical site for this purpose.