WPOL1096
Riverview Healthcare Association
Policy Adopted: 8/00
Policy Revised Effective:
Originating Department:
Social Services
Routing:
AWPP
Page 1 of
3
Board Approval Date:
Review Dates and Initials:
Past Revision Dates(s):
SUBJECT:
Safe Place For Newborns
PURPOSE:
To save the lives of unwanted newborns in danger of abandonment and to help
preserve the health and future of their mothers.
POLICY:
A Safe Place For Newborns is a program designed to provide a safe place for
unwanted newborn babies in lieu of abandonment, injury or death. Hospitals in Polk County along with the County
Attorney and the Department of Social Services have joined together to offer confidential
protective shelter, medical care and treatment in a hospital setting to unwanted newborns
up to 72 hours old.
Riverview Healthcare Association will receive, accept custody of and provide care
for unwanted, unharmed newborns up to 72 hours old who are left with Riverview Healthcare
Association employees as designated by Minnesota Statute under the Safe Place For Newborn
program as supported by the Minnesota Hospital and Healthcare Partnership and as adopted
in resolution by the Riverview Healthcare Association Board of Directors.
Key Tenets:
Ø Anonymous:
If a young woman has kept her pregnancy a secret, the guarantee of an anonymity
will help alleviate her fear that someone will “find out”.
Ø Unharmed: If a child has been abused or
neglected, the police may be called and the person bringing in the baby may be charged. If the newborn has been harmed, the guarantees of
anonymity and freedom from prosecution do not apply.
Ø 72 Hour: The first hours of a
newborn’s life are the most vulnerable, therefore, the most critical. Having a time frame associated with “Safe
Place” conveys the importance of immediate action.
If a woman has kept her pregnancy a secret, where is she hiding her newborn? If she is hiding the baby, in all likelihood, the
newborn is not being kept warm and well fed.
Ø Emergency Room:
Emergency Room personnel are trained to respond to a crisis. However, all hospital employees will be trained in
how to respond to a person who brings in a newborn to leave with “Safe Place”.
Ø Without Fear of Prosecution: Abandonment or neglect is against the
law. If a woman, who might otherwise abandon
her child, chooses a hospital in lieu of a more disastrous choice, she will not be
prosecuted.
PROCEDURE:
Using established practice standards for each department, the following departments
will participate in the Safe Place for newborns program:
1.
Any hospital employee shall accept a
newborn and immediately contact the house supervisor.
2.
Emergency Department or Any Hospital
Employee:
Ø Accepts newborn baby.
Ø Obtains medical history, if available.*
Ø Gives the mother a hospital
identification bracelet matching the newborns bracelet number.
Ø Offers the mother medical care and
resource information.
Ø Assesses baby’s condition.
Ø Contacts Riverview Social Services if
available. If unable, contact Polk County
Social Services at 281-3127. If unable to reach Polk County Social Services at this
number, contact Polk County Sheriff’s Department at 281-0431. Request that the sheriff’s department call a
Polk County social worker, requesting the social worker contact Riverview Hospital
immediately. Do not provide information
regarding the situation to law enforcement.
Ø Police are not notified.
Ø Triage to attending M.D.
3.
Hospital Social Services:
Ø Reports to ED.
Ø Obtains any available information
regarding baby.
Ø Obtains condition report from ED nurse.
Ø Confirms safe place eligibility.
Ø Notifies Polk County Social Services as
per procedure stated above.
Ø Coordinates discharge planning with
Polk County Social Services.
Ø Notifies Hospital Administration.
4.
Nursery
Ø Admits baby to newborn nursery.
Ø Assesses baby’s medical condition.
Ø Confirms health status of newborn.
Ø Confirms Social Service contact.
Ø Coordinates medical care and treatment.
Ø Obtains physician orders.
Ø Provides nursing care and treatment.
Ø Notifies Nurse Manager.
5.
Admitting
Ø Registers baby by name, if known, or by
Baby John/Jane Doe.
Ø Restricts all information.
6.
Discharge
Ø The newborn will not be discharged to
anyone except Social Services who will provide the documentation for the Order to Release.
Ø The Order to Release will remain with
newborn’s chart.
7.
Education
Ø On hire, all Riverview Healthcare
Association employees will be inserviced
regarding the Safe Place For Newborns program and their responsibilities
as an employee under the program.
Ø Youth and community education shall
promote the program.
If medical assessment reveals
intentional injury or abuse to the newborn, the Safe Place for Newborns program will not
be utilized and appropriate authorities will be contacted for investigation.
*The Medical History Form will be given
to the person presenting the infant. It is
preferable that the form is filled out at the time of contact, but it may be completed and
dropped in the mail. A self-addressed
envelope will be provided with a Medical History form.
Approved:
Date: