CPS In Healthcare:

Making it Work

Pam Holt, RN, BSN

Lifesavers Conference 2006
Austin, Texas
Why CPS in Healthcare

• Parents expect that healthcare

professionals know how to
keep their child safe.
Why CPS in Healthcare

• Motor vehicle crashes are the

leading cause of death for
children over age 1.
• Crash related injuries and
fatalities are preventable.
What is CPS in Healthcare

• CPS programs that provide

education and other CPS
services through a healthcare
based environment.
– Not only special needs
– Not only conventional seats
Successful Programs

• Should serve the entire patient

population.
• Have written policy and
procedure
• Have documentation procedures
Successful Programs

• Have a program coordinator

• Have an inpatient and
outpatient component
• Monitor the quality of the
program
Successful Programs

• START SMALL
• You can’t do it all at once, so
don’t plan on it
What is your responsibility?

• Should Healthcare provide seats?

• Should Healthcare provide the
resource or just the referral to a
resource?
• Must Healthcare install the seat?
Where to start

• You need buy in from your

facility.
• Convince administrators and
managers that this is a worthy
cause.
Convincing Them

• Use the standards that have

been put in place by others
• CPS programs reduce the
injury rate, therefore saving
healthcare facilities money in
the long run.
Guiding Standards

• American Academy of
Pediatrics
– Policy statements
• JCAHO
– Patient Safety Standard
– Patient Education Standard
• Legislation
– California
• Expert Opinion
American Academy of Pediatrics

Safe Transport of Newborns at Hospital

Discharge
ABSTRACT. All hospitals should set policies
that require the discharge of every
newborn in a car safety seat that is
appropriate for the infant’s maturity and
medical condition. Discharge policies for
newborns should include a parent
education component, regular review of
educational materials, and periodic in-
service education for responsible staff.
Appropriate child restraint systems should
become a benefit of coverage by Medicaid,
managed care organizations, and other
third-party insurers.
Now What?

• Decide what you are going to

do and do it well.
– Provide Printed Materials
– Require parents to watch a video
– Provide Face to Face Education
– Provide referral to resource
– Provide a Car Seat Check
Education

• Who is your Target Audience

– Age Group
– Floor, clinic, NBN, ER
• When to provide education
– Admission
– Discharge
Education

• Decide who should provide the

education
– Advocate vs. Technician
– Nurses
– Unlicensed Personnel
– Staff Education Requirements
Staff Education

• Make sure that directors and

managers are sending staff
who can pass the certification
class!
Staff Challenges

• The Know it All:

– “I did that with my kids, and they made it”
– “I saw that on Oprah!”
– “I’ve been doing this for years…”

• The Do-Gooder
– “Oh sure, we can give you a car seat!”

• The Fixer
– “Oh sure, I can install it for you”

• The Who Cares

– “I don’t have kids and I don’t care!”
Policy

• Written policy should be

readily accessible to staff
• Written policy should be made
known to staff
• Hold staff accountable for
following written policy
Policy

• Written policy developed and

implemented by team effort
• Written policy should be
revised/reviewed on a regular
basis
• Written policy will minimize
risk of liability
Procedure

• What is procedure?
Documentation

• Documentation developed by
a team effort
• Documentation and written
policy must coincide with each
other
Documentation

• Documentation readily
available to all staff
• Documentation should be
revised/reviewed on a regular
basis
Quality Assurance

• Ensure compliance of
documentation throughout the
facility.
• Ensure compliance with written
policy.
Quality Assurance

• Educational opportunities
should be provided by the
organization
• Dissemination of current and
up-to-date information
approved by qualified,
experienced staff person
Quality Assurance

• Adherence
Lessons Learned

• Staff usually become passionate

about CPS.

• A coordinator is VITAL to program

success.
Lessons Learned

• Administration Hates it when

you ask for FTE’s!
• Be creative, use staff already
in place
Lessons Learned

• Set Limits for your staff.

• Be good at what you do
• Quality Assurance is a MUST!
– JCAHO cares about education!
Resources

• List serve:
CPSforHealthcaresubscribe@yahoogroups.co
m
Now what?

• Put it all together

• MONITOR, MONITOR, MONITOR
• Keep Learning
• Call if you need help…

Pam Holt
St. John’s Trauma Services
Springfield, MO
417-820-6672
pholt@sprg.mercy.net
Its for the KIDS!