GWL1950

At last count, 25+ states require hospitals to offer new parents some form of information about "Shaken Baby Syndrome" (formally known as AHT). Several states include the requirement to offer parents an educational video, based on the results reported by Dias et al. in Pediatrics (2005) http://bit.ly/HnEWgb That requirement caused nurses some trepidation in New York, but "framing" the discussion in terms of helping parents learn how to protect their child from injury, rather than the traditional admonition to "never shake your baby", seems to have helped nurse-educators engage parents with the information, especially if it's delivered with other safety information, such as SIDS risk reduction, car seats. etc. At Vassar Brothers Medical Center began including education in 2001. http://nursing.advanceweb.com/Article/A-Patient-Reminder.aspx Surveying parents, they reported getting the information, and appreciating its importance. As the third week of April (April 15-21) is recognized as "Shaken Baby Syndrome Awareness Week", and most prevention education - as distinguished from general awareness - happens in the hospital, wondering how education is working - or not working - in other states. Is the safety/injury prevention frame more common that the child abuse prevention frame? PS. In those states where patient/parent education is required by law, it is - in theory - a compliance requirement tested during JCAHO visits. [Joint Commission: The Source (2006)] http://www.wchob.org/shakenbaby/SBS_article.pdf Has anyone had experience with this issue during JCAHO accreditation visits?

If you're considering a contractual relationship with another provider, any reason not to have a lawyer - with experience representing NPs - representing you? I'd suggest that any discussion that involves the term "malpractice insurance" should also involve the term "my lawyer" so both parties understand their obligations. If the pay isn't fair, you can quit. If you're involved in litigation, you can't, especially if you are acting as an independent contractor.

Jolie wrote - Again, while I wholeheartedly support this type of education, I believe it needs to be treated in the same manner as other vital aspects of infant care, such as feeding, s/s of illness and infant safety. Sure, it should be - but it isn't. New parents get lots of info about those other things in their take home books, parenting books (just check the indexes) and magazines, and new baby websites. They don't get useful info about SBS in hospitals and it clearly does make a difference when they do. Why? Hospitals don't like the thought of upsetting parents with info about "child abuse", and nurses don't either. So they think it should be given out somewhere - anywhere - before or after hospital. Most parents "pull" safety info - they look for it and welcome it. Most push back when offered "child abuse" info - "why do you want to give that to me?" And it takes more than sticking a brochure in the take home book. Six months later, 10% of the parents given brochures at our local hospital said they didn't get one, even though the take home book had three (3) different brochures. And one of the worst things a hospital or nurse can do is to start a prevention program that only educates those parents "who need it." It would be like only requiring CNE for those nurses "who need it."

Following introduction of a simple shaken baby education program for new parents at Children's Hospital of Buffalo and other hospitals in western New York, the incidence of shaken baby syndrome and other inflicted head injuries dropped by 50% (Pedatrics, April 2005). Seven states now have legislation that requires hospitals to offer new parents the opportunity to watch an educational video that not only discusses the consequences of shaking, but what they can do to help keep their child safe. In view of the estimate that there are 1400 - 1600 cases of SBS and inflicted head injury that come to medical attention evey year (JAMA, August 2004), and a recent survey of parents indicated that 2.6% self-reported that a child under age 2 in their household had been shaken (Pediatrics, March 2005): - do you believe that a education program for new parents based on the Buffalo model - which requires 7 minutes of a nurse's time - should be implemented in hospitals? - do you believe that it is important for a SBS prevention program to focus on education that helps parents protect their child from injury? - do you believe it is easier to implement a program which educates parents about safety and what they can do to protect their child or a program which educates parents about why they should not shake their baby? - Do you believe nurses and hospital educators would be more willing to provide information "framed" as "injury prevention" or as "child abuse prevention"? Info: April 15 -21 has been designated by the US Senate and 10 states as "Shaken Baby Syndrome Awareness Week 2007" Upstate NY SBS Prevention Project (Children's Hospital of Buffalo): - http://www.wchob.org/shakenbaby/ JCAHO article on SBS prevention in hospitals (2006): - www.wchob.org/shakenbaby/SBS_article.pdf Other resources, including NY SBS Week and general SBS awareness posters: - http://www.skippervigil.com/legislate.htm

We have four SBS awareness posters available as .pdf files for free downloading on our website: http://www.SkipperVigil.com Let us know what you think about them. We hope to have them available in Spanish shortly.. George PS. New York is one of seven states that now requires hospitals to offer new parents the opportunity to watch an educational video about SBS. At Vassar Brothers, they incorporated the video into the NICU education program for parents, who were already watching a video on Infant CPR. They also use the awareness posters in the NICU, general delivery area and Peds/ER waiting areas. If you need info about the education program, see the article by Dias et al in the April 2005 Pediatrics. PPS. The NY SIDS Center has a very nice SIDS awareness poster available, and the CJ Foundation for SIDS in NJ offers posters in English/Spanish.