Birth injury and HIE case review
Hypoxic-ischemic encephalopathy (HIE) and other birth injury cases span labor, delivery and the newborn's first hours. Labor and delivery and NICU nurses review each phase: monitoring during labor, the resuscitation at birth, and whether the baby was evaluated and started on therapeutic hypothermia in time.
What the nurse reviewer examines
- Labor monitoring and escalation (see delayed C-section reviews)
- Neonatal resuscitation at delivery against NRP steps and timing
- Cord gases, Apgar scores and early neurologic assessment
- Timing of evaluation for therapeutic hypothermia and transfer to a cooling center
- Neonatal glucose and temperature management in the first hours
- Communication between L&D, the nursery and the NICU
Records to request
A starting checklist; the reviewer will flag what's missing once they have the chart.
- Prenatal and L&D records with the complete fetal monitoring strip
- Delivery and resuscitation records
- Cord blood gas and placental pathology results
- NICU nursing flowsheets and transport records
- Cooling protocol records
- Neuroimaging and EEG reports
Questions attorneys ask
Why do HIE cases need a chronology early?
Records come from several units and often several hospitals. A single timeline from admission in labor through cooling makes it possible to see delays and decide which experts to retain.
Is the placental pathology relevant?
Often. It can point to causes of injury other than labor management, so it should be requested early along with the cord gases.
Consultants
Consultants in these specialties review cases privately. Post a brief and the ones who match will see it first.
Post a redacted brief, compare proposals
Describe the case without names. License-verified nurses in the right specialty send proposals with their experience and rate. Records are shared only after you hire, in an encrypted workspace.