The Value of the White Blood Cell Count and Differential in the Prediction of Neonatal Sepsis

Infection is responsible for significant morbidity and mortality in high-risk neonates. Because infection has many nonspecific signs and symptoms, the neonatal nurse plays a crucial role in the early recognition of infection. The interpretation of the white blood cell (WBC) count and differential can be difficult and must take into account many factors, including gestational age, weight, and postconceptional age. This article focuses on those factors that affect WBC interpretation, as well as steps nurses can take to minimize specimen and sampling errors.