Newborns pose unique identification challenges

Newborns pose unique identification challenges

Collection:
Health Policy and Services Research
Series Title(s):
Pennsylvania patient safety advisory
Author(s):
Wallace, Susan C., author
Contributor(s):
Pennsylvania. Patient Safety Authority, issuing body.
ECRI (Organization), issuing body.
Institute for Safe Medication Practices, issuing body.
Publication:
[Harrisburg, Pennsylvania] : Pennsylvania Patient Safety Authority, June 2016
Language(s):
English
Format:
Text
Subject(s):
Infant, Newborn
Medical Errors -- prevention & control
Patient Identification Systems -- methods
Pennsylvania
United States
Genre(s):
Technical Report
Abstract:
Safe patient care starts with accurate patient identification. Unique characteristics of the newborn population pose challenges for accurate and consistent patient identification. Hospitalized newborns often share similar birth dates and medical record numbers and, with multiple births, even share surnames. Unlike older patients, newborns are unable to actively participate in confirming this information and often lack distinguishing physical characteristics. Pennsylvania Patient Safety Authority analysts estimate that an average of nearly two newborn misidentification events occur daily in Pennsylvania. Safety huddling, distinct naming systems, clinician awareness, and technology such as bar coding may help to decrease newborn identification errors.
Copyright:
Reproduced with permission of the copyright holder. Further use of the material is subject to CC BY-NC-ND license. (More information)
Extent:
1 online resource (1 PDF file (pages 42-49))
Illustrations:
Illustrations
NLM Unique ID:
101685495 (See catalog record)
Permanent Link:
http://resource.nlm.nih.gov/101685495