MARSHALLTOWN MEDICAL & SURGICAL CENTER Marshalltown, Iowa WOMEN S CARE CENTER POLICY & PROCEDURES Policy Number: L-27/14:12 Subject: Purpose: Policy: Security: Infant/Child To protect against infant/child abduction. To ensure that the event of an infant/child abduction, all hospital personnel and outside agencies are notified appropriately, with the goal to locate and reunite the infant/child with family in the most expedient manner. Hospitalized infants/children in the WCC/Pediatrics/ICU will have an operational security Charm. Additional Information: A. Employee Identification 1. All MMSC employees will wear a color ID badge during the workday. 2. Lost or misplaced employee ID badges should be reported to hospital security and a variance filed. 3. WCC personnel will wear purple scrubs for direct mother/baby contact. 4. Pediatric nurses are not restricted to a particular color of scrub or uniform. 5. ICU staff wear hospital cranberry colored scrubs. B. Identification 1. During the Admission Interview process, parent(s) are informed of security measures to ensure the safety of the infant/child In all inpatient areas. 1a. WCC badges must also have baby footprints on them for direct mother/baby contact. WCC staff wear purple scrubs. b. Pediatric badges will have teddy bears on them for those personnel whom have direct infant/child contact. c. Badges for float nurses, student nurses and student nursing instructors on Pediatrics will have teddy bears, also. 3. Patients and their families will be instructed to never allow any person to handle or take a baby from the room unless the person has a WCC badge and purple scrubs. 4. Patients and families will be instructed to never allow any person to handle or take an infant/child from the room unless the person has a Pediatric badge (teddy bears on trim). 1a. In WCC, review the Infant Security brochure, the 4 band ID system, staff uniform, photo ID, security charm/bracelet, perimeter security and cameras in halls with the mother on admission. b. Parent(s) of Pediatric patients will have access to the Infant/Child security letter entitled Parents as Partners in Safety which is located in all Pediatric Room Bulletin Boards..
Security: Infant/Child, Page 2 2. In WCC, ID bands with the mother s name, medical record number, sex of infant, date and time of delivery and. delivering doctor will be placed on the mother and infant at birth. The mother will designate who will wear the 4 th bracelet. Confirm ID numbers when placing them on the infant, mother and the individual wearing the 4 th bracelet. Two ID bands/bracelets will be placed on the infant. If possible, place one on a wrist and one on an ankle. The security charm and bracelet will be placed after the initial bath 3. Infant footprints will be obtained within 2 hours of delivery and will be placed on the infant s permanent record. 4. One ID band will be placed on the infant/child patient upon admission. The nurse who applies the ID band will initial the band with a marker. A security charm will also be placed on patients age 6 or under. C. Infant Care 1. Whenever a baby is released from the nursery, the ID band must be matched with the mother or person wearing the 4 th ID band. 2. The baby should be taken to its mother (one at a time if multiples), by authorized and properly identified hospital personnel. 3. Babies are not to be left unsupervised in the Nursery area or unattended in the mother s room. 4. Medical procedures, lab tests and x-rays will be done in the WCC nursery area. 2a. In the case of loss, damaged or incorrect ID bands, new bands will be applied on the infant in the presence of the mother, charted and witnessed with another staff member. b. In the nursery, if ID bands are removed, they should be placed on the radiant warmer or placed in a Pediatric ID band and placed on another limb. c. In the case of an infant/child comes too close to an exit door, the security charm will trigger the alarm to sound and the doors will automatically lock. d. If the security alarm is triggered on the Pediatric unit, the elevator doors will remain open and stationery until the alarm is turned off. 3. The mother s index fingerprint will also be used on this form as an identification process. 4. Refer to Policy 4.11: In the case of infant becomes too close to an exit door, an alarm will sound and the doors will automatically lock. When the alarm is triggered, the main elevator door will remain open and stationary until the alarm is shut off. 1. Only the mother or person wearing the 4 th ID band will be allowed to take the baby from the nursery. 2. Neonates should be transported in their cribs, not in anyone s arms. Exception: A baby may be carried from the LDR/OR to the nursery after delivery. 4. Parent(s) will be informed of testing to be done outside the WCC (ex: ultrasound) and offered to accompany the staff member and baby for the procedure. D. Pediatric Care 1. Infants/children are not to be left unmonitored, unattended, or unsupervised in their room.
Security: Infant/Child, Page 3 2. Medical procedures, lab tests and x-rays may be done outside the pediatric area. E. Discharge of Mother and Baby from WCC 1. At discharge, the ID band is checked with the mother. 2. The nurse and mother will sign the newborn identification record. 3. The security charm must be deactivated and removed immediately prior to discharge. 4. A nurse will accompany the mother/baby to the vehicle on discharge. F. Discharge of the Pediatric Patient 1. The security charm must be deactivated by a nurse immediately prior to discharge. 2. A MMSC staff member or MMSC Volunteer will accompany the patient with the responsible party to the vehicle on discharge. G. Hospital Staff Education 1. All hospital staff will be in-serviced on Infant/Child Abduction annually. 2. A mock Infant/Child Abduction Drill will be performed annually as a performance improvement measure. 3. Pediatric and ICU staff will receive orientation training on the following: Security Risk Plan & Security Measures Infant/Child Abduction Plan Unit & Perimeter Security Discharge Process 4. WCC staff will receive orientation training on the following: Newborn Identification & Security Footprint Process 3 a-d H. Visitor Control/Surveillance 1. Visitors will be allowed to visit as per established hospital policy. 2. Parent(s) will be informed of testing to be done outside Pediatrics (ex: x-ray) and offered to accompany staff member and patient for the procedure. Security charms will be deactivated by a nurse when the patient leaves their room for the procedure and activated upon return to Pediatrics. 1. Refer to Newborn Identification Policy L-16 and Policy L-3 Discharge of WCC Patients. 4. Iowa Law requires a car seat for children. Refer to Policy L-32. 2. Iowa Law requires a car seat/booster for children under the age of 6. Children over the age of 6, but under 11, will be secured in a booster seat or seat belt. 1. Refer to Policy HS 8.1.3 in the Health and Safety Policy and Procedure Manual. 2. This will be conducted by Security/Facilities Management. 3. This will be reviewed annually. 4. This will be reviewed annually. 1. Refer to Policy L-7.
Security: Infant/Child, Page 4 2. All staff members should be on alert for any unusual behavior of other staff or visitors including: a) Any large packages being removed from WCC b) Babies being carried in arms rather than a crib 3. Staff will notify security of the following: a) Repeat visitors to WCC, Pediatrics or ICU with extreme interest in infant/children b) Person asking numerous questions about the unit and/or policies c) Anyone displaying verbal or physical threats to staff or patients I. Access Control Measures 1. Staff and visitors should enter/exit the WCC/Pediatrics/ICU through appropriate entrances. 2. Doors to the WCC will be locked at all times. 3. The lobby doors will be locked at 2000 by security. 4. Cameras will monitor hallway activity of WCC and nursery activity. J. Infant/Child Abduction 1. When there is a suspicion an infant/child abduction has occurred, call the switchboard operator by calling 5123. 2. Call the Police directly at 9-911 on the hospital phone. 3. Complete the Security Risk worksheet on the right side of the Red Emergency Action Guide. 4. Account for the rest of the infants/children. 5. Immediately search the work area for the missing infant/child. 2. Strategies an abductor may try: Poses as hospital staff Frequent visits several days before abduction Becomes familiar with hospital policies Creates a diversion such as pulling a fire alarm Takes the infant/child from the parent telling them the patient is needed for a test or procedure 1. All doors to the WCC will be locked 24 hours a day. All visitors must be let into the department by a WCC staff member. 3. The lobby doors will be locked at 2000 by security. Staff can manually lock the lobby door whenever extra security is necessary by contacting security. 4. Any suspicious behaviors must be reported to hospital security. 1a. Tell them to announce Mr. Ivan Adam to the area of concern. This identifies an infant abduction. b. Tell them to announce Mr. Charles Adams to the area of concern. This identifies a child abduction. 2. Provide as much information as possible including exact MMSC location (door, elevator, floor, department, room number). Include your name and title. 3. Have this ready for appropriate authorities. A description of the last person known to interact with infant/child will be needed.
Security: Infant/Child, Page 5 6. Notify the parents. 6. Question the mother/parent/guardian if the infant/child could be anywhere else in the building. 7. Upon hearing the code Adam, other 7. Refer to Policy HS 8.1.3. hospital staff will aide in securing the exterior perimeter of MMSC. K. Placing security bracelet/charm: From the Accutech computer, click on the set-up button at the top of the screen. Click on tag control. Obtain a new tag (charm) from drawer. Click on the tag number that corresponds with charm number. Click on assign patient/asset Type in Girl/Boy under first name and tab to last name. Under last name, type in mother s last name, first name for WCC. Tab to room number and enter this, then click OK. Place yellow band with charm onto ankle. This should be snug and needs to have direct skin contact so it will alarm. Place accutech tag activator over charm. Press the TAD button. Make sure the red light is blinking to be sure security is activated. To discontinue: Use accutech tag activator to deactivate charm. Cut off band. Go to accutech computer: Click set up, then tag control. Click on baby you want to deactivate. Click on unassign patient/asset Click yes you want to unassign tag. Then you are done. L. Documentation: Flowchart documentation under safety/security.
Security: Infant/Child, Page 6 Originated by: Professional Practice Effective date: 8/08 Authorized by: WCC 11/09 Prof Prac 11/09 M/S/P/T 11/09 ICU 11/09 Authorized by: COO/CNO Date Revision date: 11/09 Review date: Distribution: All Nursing Units References: MMSC Security Brochure Medical Consultants Network, Labor & Delivery Policies, 1998 pg 119-205. 1. Fiesta J. (1990). Security-whose liability, infant kidnapping. Nursing Management. 21 (5), pp 16-17. 2. Grant, R. (1990). The new baby snatchers. Redbook. pp 151-154. 3. Mead Johnson (1991). Safeguard Their Tomorrows. 4. National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (June 1996, Fourth Edition). For Healthcare Professionals. Guidelines on Prevention of and Response to Infant Abductions. 5. Ross Laboratories (1991). A Sense of Security: A Hospital Guide to Infant Security in the Maternity Unit. 6. Smock, B.K. (1989). IAHS survey of infant abduction 1983-1989. Journal of Healthcare Protection Management. 6 (1), pp 40-50. 7. Accutech Security Manual (www.acutech-ics.com) 8. Iowa Code 321.446. Data Code 198a T:\Data\Policies\WOMENS\wccL-2714.12r1crk.doc