# A nurse is caring for a newborn in the nursery. Which action is the most important safety measure to prevent newborn abduction?

> source: MyMerci (mymerci.kr)  
> url: https://mymerci.kr/pages/nclex_q.php?qn_id=543212  
> language: ko  
> subject: Maternal Newborn Health

## 문제

A nurse is caring for a newborn in the nursery. Which action is the most important safety measure to prevent newborn abduction?

## 보기

1. Ensuring all nursery staff wear photo identification badges at all times
2. Verifying identification bands before releasing the newborn to any individual **✔ 정답**
3. Requiring visitors to sign a logbook upon entering the nursery unit
4. Placing the newborn in a bassinet near the nurses' station at all times

**정답: 2**

## 해설

Verifying ID bands ensures proper identification before newborn transfer, directly preventing abduction. Other measures (locked doors, cameras, limited hours) are supportive but less critical.

## 심화 해설

Clinical Judgment
This question assesses prioritization for newborn safety. The key is to identify the Critical Cue that ensures the most direct and immediate effect among several useful safety measures. Verifying identification bands is the **final line of defense** to ensure the newborn is handed over only to an authorized guardian. Other measures create a preventive environment, but what prevents an error at the actual point of handover is accurate identity verification. This applies the fundamental principle of patient identification to newborn security.

Memory Tip:
**B**efore **A**ny **B**aby **B**ecomes **B**orne Away, **B**ands! Remember it as **BABBA B**.

KR vs US:
In Korean hospitals, identification bands (matching parent and newborn at birth) are also a standard procedure. However, in the US NGN exam, Patient Safety and medical error prevention are heavily emphasized, and adherence to protocols for vulnerable patient groups (newborns) is treated as an **absolute priority**. In Korea, family-based visits are more common, which might lead to a tendency to rely on 'familiar faces,' but in US-style nursing, objective verification based on *procedure and evidence (band numbers)* is emphasized much more strongly.

## 임상 시나리오

Clinical Practice Guide
Newborn identification generally uses **2 identifiers**: 1) the newborn's name and date of birth (or unique number), 2) the mother's name and date of birth. Newborn security protocols include a multi-layered approach:
1.  Verification at handoff: Whenever custody changes (after feeding, testing, bathing), the identification band number must be cross-checked.
2.  Access control: Locking the nursery/ward entrance doors is standard.
3.  Staff education: All staff (nurses, housekeeping, volunteers) must be familiar with abduction prevention protocols and procedures for reporting suspicious behavior.
4.  Security systems: Security cameras, door alarms, and final verification at discharge provide additional layers of protection.

Caution:
If this appears as a SATA (Select All That Apply) question, you may be asked to select all "effective" measures rather than the "most important" or "priority" one. In that case, options 1 (door locks), 2 (band verification), and 3 (security cameras) could all be correct. Pay attention to the **question keywords**.

## 핵심 개념

- **Newborn Abduction** — Illegal abduction of a newborn in a hospital setting. This is considered a serious patient safety incident, and prevention protocols are essential.
- **Identification Bands (ID Bands)** — Patient (newborn) and their mother (and sometimes partner) wear tamper-proof bands. They include unique matching numbers to provide continuous identification from birth until discharge.
- **Patient Safety** — Preventing unnecessary harm that may occur to patients during the course of medical care. Newborn security is a core safety area for this vulnerable patient group.
- **Security Protocol** — A set of formal procedures and guidelines designed to mitigate risk. The newborn abduction prevention protocol includes access control, identity verification, staff training, and response plans.
- **Two-Patient Identifiers** — Standard safety practice used before medical procedures or patient handoffs to prevent errors. Typically uses name and date of birth; for newborns, a unique ID number matched with the mother’s information is used.

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