Footprint for Success

“FOOTPRINT FOR SUCCESS” 
     Current focus on efforts to reduce medical errors and improve patient safety has led to a renewed awareness of the importance of accurate patient identification.  Patient identification procedures typically begin at birth, with the traditional process of applying identification bracelets and obtaining footprints of the newborn. Footprinting the newborn has been the standard system of documenting the unique identifying features of the baby; however, most footprints obtained at birth contain illegible identifying characteristics and would not be suitable for identification purposes. In an ongoing effort to promote best practice in proper identification and patient safety, footprinting procedures should be evaluated.  Recommended procedures for obtaining quality footprints require knowledge of the characteristics used to make a positive identification, a commitment to use quality materials to obtain legible specimens, and a formal training program for staff. 
     A team was formed to evaluate the legibility of footprint impressions obtained from infants born at a Level III Labor & Delivery unit that delivers over 7,000 infants per year.  Meetings were held with fingerprint experts from the State Police Department and the FBI to become acquainted with standard practices and procedures utilized to make a positive identification of an individual.  A pretest given to the Labor & Delivery staff revealed a knowledge deficit related to the proper procedure for obtaining quality footprints, as well as the inability to identify the most reliable characteristics used to make a positive identification.  Additionally, the majority of footprint samples obtained from newborn infants revealed illegible footprint impressions.  Staff education was provided and an evaluation of materials currently available to obtain footprints was conducted.   A post-test demonstrated an increase in knowledge of the proper technique to obtain a quality print and an increased understanding of the most reliable characteristics used to make an ID.  An improvement in the legibility of identifying characteristics obtained from newborn footprints was observed.  Additionally, a recommendation to change the type of paper used to document infant footprints will further enhance the quality of identification characteristics.  As a result of this performance improvement project we have been able to implement a successful program to obtain quality newborn footprints that can be used for accurate patient identification.  From this poster presentation the audience will gain the knowledge and skills necessary to implement a successful program to obtain quality newborn footprints that can be used for accurate patient identification.