postpartum patient discharge

trixie · Apr 29, 2003

Who discharges your moms/babies at your hospitals? How involved are they in making sure the baby is in the corificeat correctly and in the car okay? NOT to install the seat, but just to make sure the infant is rear facing, etc. Or do you just wave goodbye and let them fend for themselves? Just wondering. Thanks!

mark_LD_RN · Apr 29, 2003

the nurse escourts them down and makes sure they put baby in corificeat correctly. we do not install the car seat or place the baby in it though

mark_LD_RN · Apr 29, 2003

the nurse escourts them down and makes sure they put baby in corificeat correctly. we do not install the car seat or place the baby in it though

mother/babyRN, RN · May 5, 2003

Same with us Mark, however I have noticed at my newest facility that it is not always the nurse who goes down with the patient so they have taught the techs to observe the car seat placement...

NICU_Nurse, BSN, RN · May 5, 2003

Our nurses also escort patients down and help latch the baby in the car seat (if parents are leaving without one they have to sign a waiver), but do not actually install the car seat. Our hospital offers a drive-thru service in the parking lot on Thursdays, where parents can drive into the parking lot and have their car seat assessed by certified techs for safety, etc., and be shown how to properly lock it in. They will then lock the car seat in themselves while being watched by the techs. Great service, but sadly, most of our population doesn't take advantage of it. ;>(

mommajoe · May 15, 2003

At the hospital I work at, we--the nurses--ck for placement and make sure the infant is in the seat properly. We have many many hispanic/lower socioeconomic patients who purchase older car seats, so it is very necessary to ck placement of the baby and also in the car. It is a hassle sometimes but can be life saving for the infant.

SmilingBluEyes · May 15, 2003

The discharging nurse is the one who ensures a baby is placed in a corificeat properly where I work. And I have seen some doozies!

allnurses Guide · May 15, 2003

Deb . . . doozies . . . me too.

A couple of weeks ago I walked new parents out to their car. The corificeat was forward facing in the front seat and the Dad asked if Mom could just hold the baby on the way home. :eek:

I installed the car seat. Placed the Babe inside. I had a feeling that as they drove down the road, they were gonna stop and take the baby out. sigh . .

Also about two years ago I walked another set of parents out to their car . . in the backseat was a huge ugly Rottweiler right next to the corificeat. Well I refused to let them put the baby back there all by herself. No amount of "oh our dog is the nicest dog you'd ever want to meet" could make me put that baby in there. I explained that dogs are animals for goodness sake and this dog had never seen this baby and who the heck knows what he would really do?!?? . . I was imaging him taking a big bite out of the poor baby's face. I finally convinced them to put the dog in the front seat and have the mom sit in back. I prayed hard for that baby.

We should start a thread on this . . . Oh, the nurses or the CNA's take the parents out to their car and check on corificeat placement.

steph

dawngloves, BSN, RN · May 15, 2003

I'd be careful about installing car seats in vehicles unless you are a liscensed Car Seat tech. Heaven forbid something happened and the baby was hurt, even if you installed it correctly you would be held liable.

I give specific instructions on how to install a seat and I observe the parents placing the baby in a carrier,but I would'nt touch it except to make sure the straps are tight enough and then I tell the parents to tighten them.

It's a shame, but this is our society.

allnurses Guide · May 15, 2003

Dawngloves . . good advice! But these parents were "AIRHEADS" . . . . and I have a good friend who is a certified car seat person . . . who gave me lessons with my toddler's corificeat. Sometimes ya gotta take a chance and help people.

:cool:

steph

dawngloves, BSN, RN · May 15, 2003

You guys just made me think.......

THREAD HIGHJACK!!!

Worst car seat you've ever seen?

I had a woman bring one in and the bar across the back that holds the straps was gone and the straps were tied together!!!!!

We gave her a new one.

Also heard about one that had roaches crawling out of it!!!!!!! We threw it away, called enviromental and gave her a new one. Hey! Do you think it's a scam or are there really people that think that this is acceptable?