In-Hospital Newborn Falls Associated With a Sleeping Parent: The Case for a New Paradigm

Abstract

A newborn fall to the floor from a sleeping parent' s arms in the immediate postpartum period may result in a skull fracture, head bleed, and transfer to the NICU for observation. These harmful consequences galvanized frontline clinicians to prevent these tragic accidents, but, a decade later, they continue at a stubbornly low, persistent level. In this article, I suggest that a misunderstanding of sleep science may be a barrier to effective interventions. The science of sleep is presented to inform a new paradigm that would have greater potential of eliminating dangerous newborn falls.

An assessment tool to determine in-hospital newborn fall/drop risk

“…A synthesis of these activities, along with the specific interventions included in each and the outcomes have been provided by Duthie. [4] cns.sciedupress.com Clinical Nursing Studies 2023, Vol. 11, No.…”

“…With incidences of newborn falls/drops estimated to be between 600 and 1600 annually, [7] Duthie [4] advocates for routinely challenging the paradigm and to abandon beliefs unsupported by science. The JC [5] recommends the development of an assessment tool capable of identifying those at risk for a newborn fall/drop.…”

In-Hospital Newborn Falls and Suffocation Associated With Parental Drug-Related Fatigue

“…In-hospital newborn falls and suffocation are increasingly recognized as contributors to morbidity and mortality, respectively, during the early neonatal period. [1][2][3][4] Parental fatigue, maternal exposure to sedating drugs, and maternal drug misuse are common risk factors for these events, which predominantly occur in post-partum units. 5,6 The occurrence of such events in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) may be compounded by the increasing prevalence of single-patient room designs, where direct observation of patients and families is hindered.…”