Welcoming newborns into the world is a tremendous job for Labor and Delivery (L&D) nurses because they have two patients — mother and baby — needing support and protection. Newborns complicate care and identification because they are typically indistinguishable and speechless. This vulnerability prompted the American Academy of Pediatrics to approach The Joint Commission, seeking a new National Patient Safety Goal (NPSG) and Element of Performance (EP) to improve newborn identification.
The benefits of newborn identification are universally understood. So, we’re exploring common ID challenges and how partners, such as PDC, help clinicians navigate these with solutions that provide worry-free ID workflows.
How Do NPSG-Compliant IDs Protect Newborns?
Research and public field review enabled The Joint Commission’s January 2019 launch of NPSG 01.01.01 EP 3 for precise newborn identification to that prevents wrong patient/wrong procedure misidentification errors.
NPSG 01.01.01 EP 3 augments NPSG 01.01.01, which directs accredited facilities to “Use at least two patient identifiers when providing care, treatment and services.” EP 3 then mandates “[Using] distinct methods of identification for newborn patients,” such as:
- Distinctive naming conventions using the mother’s full name and baby’s gender, such as “Miller, Mary Boy.” Multiples receive “Miller, Mary Boy A” and “Miller, Mary Boy B” nomenclature.
- Standardized ID banding practices with two body-site identification methods (e.g., ankle and wrist) and barcoding.
- Clear protocols to alert staff of similarly named newborns, e.g., pairing signage and L&D communication labels.
Before 2019, the need for newborn ID protocols was well-documented. In 2016, the Pennsylvania Patient Safety Advisory (PSA) analyzed 1,234 misidentification events submitted to its reporting system between January 2014 and December 2015. PSA’s findings among misidentification errors reported by “event type” included:
- 80% of errors related to a procedure, treatment or test
- 8.3% were medication errors
- Remaining event types ranged from care complications to device/equipment issues
Addressing 4 Common Labor & Delivery ID Challenges
Routine identification workflows shouldn’t merit a second thought. Here’s how compliant Mother-Infant Identification Solutions help L&D nurses amid:
- Parental Concerns – Proper ID banding helps build trust with families who expect hospitals to take every safety precaution. Rapport-building and smooth ID workflows also reinforces an L&D nurse’s credibility, making parents more receptive to instructions.
- High Patient Volume – This National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS) study revealed most babies in the U.S. arrive between 8:00 AM–noon. Concurrent births make precise L&D record-keeping mission-critical.
- Complex Family Dynamics – Newborns can usher in unpredictable emotions or unexpected complications due to different last names, surrogacy and adoption. In other instances, parents may not choose a legal name before discharge.
- Routine Care and Emergencies – Rapid identification is critical for urgent medical interventions. PDC’s ID wristbands readily integrate with major EMRs, adapt to patient changes and keep barcodes clear for automated patient documentation.
Newborn Identification Solutions from the ISG
The ISG uses secure and accurate newborn identification solutions from industry-leading partners like PDC Healthcare by Brady. Contact us today or reach out to your local ISG Member Dealer to learn how our safety products enable worry-free workflows for NPSG 01.01.01 EP 3 compliance and why 75% of newborns in the U.S. wear PDC ID wristbands moments after birth.
You can also ask us about our healthcare facility solutions for employee, visitor and patient identification, physical, logical and mobile access control, video surveillance, biometric integration, time and attendance, and a whole lot more!
Original article written by Paul Garcia for PDC Healthcare.
