Friday, August 08, 2014
Hugs™ Security System Keeping Our Newborns Safe At PRH
Patient safety is paramount at Pembroke Regional Hospital and for our youngest patients, our newborns, an electronic security system is in place to ensure that.
Recently, Francois Lemaire, Vice-President of Patient Services - Acute Care and Chief Nursing Executive (CNE) provided the PRH Board with an overview of the Hugs™ Infant Protection System. “Our hospital’s Maternal / Child Care Program provides a family-centred environment for patients, the newborn and their families. It is important that all women and their support persons feel secure and safe at all times,” Mr. Lemaire said.
As soon as a baby is born at PRH, a Hugs™ security tag is attached to the newborn’s ankle and the tag number is recorded on the birth record, the Newborn Identification Form and the Newborn Care Plan. That number is then entered into the Hugs™ system software which is installed on a dedicated computer on the unit.
Parents and families are provided with guidelines and education about the system, including the understanding that the baby cannot be carried outside of the unit without the alarm being activated. To prevent accidental activation of the alarm, red floor markers indicate all boundaries near each access point to the unit. The alarm itself consists of an audible tone alarm and strobe light over the exit areas. As well, the computer system indicates where the alarm was activated by showing red flashing doors on a map of the facility.
Throughout a newborn’s hospital stay, nursing staff must assess each Hugs™ tag site every eight hours to ensure a secure fit and to make sure it is still in contact with the baby’s skin. If contact is broken for more than 10 seconds, the alarm will be activated. Additionally the newborn census in the Hugs™ computer system is verified daily at shift changes.
Mr. Lemaire said that babies who have to travel to another area of the hospital such as diagnostic imaging for testing, are “signed-out” in the system on a temporary basis and must be transported by bassinet.
To date, both staff and families have given positive feedback about the system. “Thankfully we have never had an incident in which the system was needed, but we are happy to provide this as an additional safety feature which ensures peace of mind for our families,” Mr. Lemaire said.
He added that, in light of some of the recent news items regarding newborn safety in hospitals, PRH is reviewing the features of the system as well as the policies and procedures that are in place in order to see if there are any areas for improvement.
He also noted that a similar security system is in place on the Hospital’s Medical units for patients suffering from dementia.
Carolyn Levesque is the Public Affairs and Communications Coordinator for the
Pembroke Regional Hospital.
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