Hospital Policy re: parents not allowed NB procedure?

Jolie, BSN · Jul 19, 2007

Ok, so the place I am leaving kind of "strong-arms" parents about not being able to come in the nursery. They only allow parents in if their babies are sick and on a NICU bed. Otherwise, nurses say that it is against policy to allow parents in for bath, NB screen, etc. Then they say they can't let babies go out to the "clean" pp rooms with their babies, because they are "contaminated" with blood/fluids. So the babies have to go to the nursery when mom is moved, at 1 hour pp. Baby has to be at least 2 hours old, temp above 98 before bath, then rewarm baby to temp around 98.5. before going back out to mom, around 3-4 hours total, sometimes more. Haven't ever had a mom that refused to give their baby up, but I was just waiting for it. If more moms would say no, then "policy" would have to change. Anyway, I give up, I'm moving on, lol.

This is just nuts! If hospital policy required my baby to go to the nursery without me, you can bet that Hubby would be accompanying the little tyke. If a staff member refused to allow at least one of us to be present with our child, we would be out of there.

I once worked in a very poorly run hospital where the newborn nursery had a similar policy. I personally witnessed 3 instances in the 1-1/2 years that I lasted there (before running scared for my license) where babies were mis-identified, placed in the wrong cribs, taken to the wrong rooms, and even breastfed by the wrong mothers. I can assure you that none of those incidents would have happened if the fathers had been present and observing their infants' care in the nursery, or if the babies had simply been left with their mothers.

No way would I, as a patient, comply with this insane policy!

fergus51 · Jul 19, 2007

There is no medical reason to separate a healthy baby from his healthy mother. Those policies are silly.

crissrn27, RN · Jul 20, 2007

I agree, they are crazy to continue to use these outdated 1950's style policies. The nurses are the ones that continue to advocate for these policies. Most of them are nuts, (the policies, not the nurses, lol).....butttt, I have had a few ugly parents that have watched lab, or me, do heel sticks, and have said things like "could you be careful!", etc, and wouldn't take my word for it that this is really how the labs get done.

I have closed the blinds (we have windows, for limited veiwing of babies) for lab personnel if the lab request, seems those parents make them really nervous, as for me, I just explain, and tell them if they decide not to do it they need to talk to the doc, most say, no go ahead.

Oh, BTW, they are installing a new system that won't allow anyone to come back, because the nurses don't like being watched, going backwards? Crazy!

mitchsmom · Jul 20, 2007

I agree, they are crazy to continue to use these outdated 1950's style policies. The nurses are the ones that continue to advocate for these policies. Most of them are nuts, (the policies, not the nurses, lol).....butttt, I have had a few ugly parents that have watched lab, or me, do heel sticks, and have said things like "could you be careful!", etc, and wouldn't take my word for it that this is really how the labs get done.
I have closed the blinds (we have windows, for limited veiwing of babies) for lab personnel if the lab request, seems those parents make them really nervous, as for me, I just explain, and tell them if they decide not to do it they need to talk to the doc, most say, no go ahead.
Oh, BTW, they are installing a new system that won't allow anyone to come back, because the nurses don't like being watched, going backwards? Crazy!

Wow...

Elvish, BSN, DNP, RN, NP · Jul 24, 2007

I had my first child at the hospital that crissrn is talking about. Knowing what I know now -- both as a mother-baby nurse and from the info she has shared -- I will not have a second there.

crissrn27, RN · Jul 25, 2007

Me neither, Arwen.......if there is a next time, that is.