Infant ID'ing- whaddya do?

[NICU_Nurse, BSN, RN]

When babies are born, they are ID'd with these plastic-covered bracelets with coded ID numbers on them. Each set of bracelets is matched to a bracelet for mom for ID'ing purposes. When the babies outgrow them, they are cut off, and new paper bracelets are stamped and applied. The ones we use are horribly cheap, enormously large, and have rough, hard edges (not rounded and "soft" like the original bracelets) that cut into the baby's skin.

What's the solution to this? What are you doing to re-band the babies if they stay with you long enough? Anyone know of any companies that manufacture these types of bands? What we are looking for is something similar to the original bands. Of course, these wouldn't have the ID numbers printed on them (we're assuming we'd have to write them?), but they seem much more comfortable for the babies.

Anyone know what I mean?

Any suggestions?

Thanks!

[webbiedebbie]

I know what you mean. I remember those earlier bracelets that were rounded. I hate these new ones, too.

Maybe it was cost that changed them.

[prmenrs, RN]

Re-band them w/ the numbered bands--get the kind L&D has. Re-band mom, too.

We had a hard time getting the MOMs to keep their bands on till d/c! Even if it was only a few days!

[Mimi2RN, ASN, RN]

We cut the label off, and thread it onto another band, like the ones they have on peds, ot the old security alarm bands that aren't used any more for that purpose.

We don't make the moms wear the bands till baby is d/c'd, but we like it available, in her purse, for the discharge.

[nurseiam]

We use op-site on the leg for ID. The bands are taped to the chart. Both our ICN and NICU are locked units. Our parents show their ID# at the camera when they visit. It has worked very well. Can you imagine keeping a braclet on for 2-3 months. What a source of infection! And what if the parents are having a rough day....they don't want people to ask about their baby!

[NICU_Nurse, BSN, RN]

Well, I was told that re-banding with new, numbered bands was not an option (apparantly, changing the ID numbers is too much hassle?). I was hoping to find similar bands that are just completely blank. The op-site isn't a bad idea, though...

[prmenrs, RN]

The op-site thing is what we did for co-bedding multiples.

[magRN]

We use those foam wrapes with velcro and have the name and clinic number stamped on an area that has like a silk tape. I don't know where we ended up getting them...they work great

[NiteNICUNurse, BSN, RN]

Originally posted by magRN

We use those foam wrapes with velcro and have the name and clinic number stamped on an area that has like a silk tape. I don't know where we ended up getting them...they work great

The foam wraps we use are the poseys for pulse oximetry, we just stamp the posey with their card. This can be moved and adjusted for size easily.

[NicuGal, MSN, RN]

All babies have one tag on, one on the bed, taped to the inside. We tried the take off ones, but they ended up getting lost. We have the rounded ones and we just write the info on it. We don't reband the parents, heck, we have a hard enough time getting them to keep the darn things on LOL. We have done the opsite thing with the co-bedded multiples too :)