Facility Risk Management Risk Management Facility Issue: Infant Abduction

Risk is defined as "anything that threatens the ability of [a] business to accomplish its mission." (Pakeys, 2010) The risk management plan is held to be "much broader than the emergency preparedness plan" and involves the management of risk, which offers a method of protecting against unforeseen hazards, and the routine risks faced by workers each day. (Pakeys, 2010) The express reason for a risk management plan in Facility Management is lower the likelihood that an accident or failure event occurs and to minimize the results in terms of consequences of accidents or failure events.

Developing and Implementing a Facility Risk Management Program

According to the Nurses Service Organization there are specific steps to taken in the facility risk management planning which includes: (1) stating the goals of the organization; (2) describing the program's scope, components and methods; (3) delegation of responsibility for implementation and enforcement; (4) demonstration of commitment by the hospital board; and (5) delivery of guarantees of confidentially and immunity from retaliation for those who report sensitive information. (Nurse Service Organization, 2006) There are some very important steps that must be taken in risk management and the first of these is to 'identify' the potential risks or the 'Risk Classes'. (Busowsky, nd) Some of the Risk Classes include such as: (1) asset failure, or the unexpected failure of an asset; (2) asset degradation or the "relative slow degradation of an asset's performance over time which is not noticed; (3) asset invasion, or the invasion or colonization of an asset; (4) unexpected human behavior or the situation in which human beings behave in ways that are completely unexpected; and (5) possible misinterpretation by humans, or such as instructions of signs that are misleading or poorly worded and result in danger to individuals; (2) Secondly it is important to 'document' or collect information concerning any potential risks; (3) Plan, this involves the use of Risk Assessment Collection and Planning Forms; and (4) Deployment of the Risk Management Plan. (Busowsky, nd)

II. Risk Management Assessment

Busowsky (nd) relates that it is necessary for the purpose of risk management in a facility such as a hospital or other facility to have a risk management assessment form. The risk management assessment form contains checklist for information such as: (1) asset -- description and locations; (2) risk classes involved; (3) potential failures; (4) types of failure; (5) consequences of failure; (6) likelihood of failure; (7) what could be done to minimize failure; (8) what can be done to recover from the failure; (8) what could be done to prevent the failure; (9) agreed upon risk minimization action; and (10) agreed upon frequency of action

III. Risk Management in Newborn Security

This specific study focuses on risk management in the area of newborn security and through use of the Newborn Security -- Code AB 900.02.10 (2008) which states that the security that the hospital system will implement and maintain is a system that serves to ensure the security of the infants who are patients at the hospital in this particular study. This will involve identification of both the infant at the mother. Infants are foot-printed immediately after their birth through use of an Accutech Security Tag applied before the newborn leave the admission nursery. Staff is also required to wear proper identification and nursing students and instructors are required to wear specifically approved uniforms for their programs and an accompanying name tag at all times and must wear a hospital issued Pink Maternal Infant Unit Badge. All hospital staff will be required to wear photo identification badges with a pink background for identification purposes. Furthermore, only staff wearing the pink GHS picture ID or medical staff picture ID are allowed to transport the infant off of the Maternal/Infant Unit. (Newborn Security -- Code AB 900.02.10, 2008, paraphrased) The proper transport procedure states that infants: (1) are transported from the L&D to the admitting unit in a bassinet or transport isolette; (2) infants are taken to...

(Newborn Security -- Code AB 900.02.10, 2008) Staff education is also addressed in the current risk management plan and states that staff will be educated in the following areas: (1) The risk of infant abduction; (2) Types of unusual behavior to be alert for and how to report; (3) Infant abduction prevention procedures; (4) Critical incident response plan/Code AB; (5) "Infant Safety" badge use; and (6) Accutech security system. (Newborn Security -- Code AB 900.02.10, 2008) Infant security issues and measures are stated to be included in the 'annual competency assessment for Women and Children's Services associates and as well Mock Code AB's will be held and conducted by GHS Public Safety Department on at least a semi-annual basis. Another component of the facility risk assessment plan is the education of parents as follows: (1) During facility tours and prenatal education classes, parents will be advised of Gwinnett Women's Pavilion's commitment to infant security and basic components of infant security measures; and (2) Upon admission to the Maternal Infant Unit, patients will be asked to review and sign the Family Education Guide for Infant Security explaining the parent's role in infant security. This signed document is placed on the mother's chart.( Newborn Security -- Code AB 900.02.10, 2008) Also addressed in the facility risk management plan are: (1 ) physical security safeguards which involves the standards for managing hospital emergency exits and the procedures for locking doorways and the surveillance system use; and (2) Practices which involves the precautions to be taken such as not listing the patient's full name on the room door nameplate and discouraging patients from displaying decorations on the doors to the patient's room. (Newborn Security -- Code AB 900.02.10, 2008) In the event a possible abduction of an infant occurs there are specific steps that are to be taken including the following: (1) The Charge Nurse will immediately dial "88" to have " Code AB, ____ unit" paged throughout the hospital. This also notifies the Security Department of a Code AB at Gwinnett Women's Pavilion, and the specific unit/department involved. (2) Dial "78557" from phone at Nurse's Station and announce "Code AB ," specifying the unit. This will be heard throughout GWP; (3) Charge Nurse or designee will notify parking attendants to close all gates. . (4) Charge Nurse or designee will notify: (a) Director of Women and Children's Services; (b) In the event of an identified security problem, administration will be apprised of the circumstances and will decide as to specific security needs; (c) The Public Safety Department is immediately notified regarding any situation where there is a potential or actual security problem; (d) Director of Women and Children's Services will notify Community Relations and Clinical Managers as needed; (e) If a door alarm is ringing, staff will attempt to observe anyone leaving the area. (Newborn Security -- Code AB 900.02.10, 2008)
All building exits and entrances are to be named as follows:

(1) Maternal Infant Unit Staff

Bridge to GMC

Elevators

Staircase

East and west fire doors

(2) L&D Staff

Ambulance entrance

Doors near:

Room #124

Triage #119 & Dogwood Room

LDR #103

(3) HRPU Staff

Terrace door

(4) GWP Admission Staff

All lobby doors

(5) Diagnostic Staff

Exit door(s) at Diagnostics

(6) NICU Staff

Fire doors by Rose and Azalea rooms -- and then assist admission staff with main lobby. (Newborn Security -- Code AB 900.02.10, 2008)

Other aspects of the plan includes the following: (1) No one is permitted to leave the facility until Security gives clearance; (2) All infants should be located, visualized and accounted for immediately: (a) Each unit will notify the initiating unit that all newborns have been accounted for; (b) Under the direction of and in conjunction with Security, the Charge Nurse…