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Infant Security
UCLA Health System diligently enforces strict security measures to protect your baby's physical safety from unlikely events such as abduction. Please familiarize yourself with the following precautionary measures that the medical center and its Perinatal Unit have in place to secure your newborn's safety.
Staff Identification
All hospital personnel must prominently display a UCLA Health System identification badge. This badge shows the authorized staff member's name, title and department. Perinatal staff badges will include a pink stripe. If you are unsure about a staff member, please ask a nurse to verify the person's identity.
Baby Bracelets and Security Tags
As soon as your baby is delivered, two bracelets will be placed on your baby's wrist or ankles. The bracelets are marked with a five-digit code, your baby's sex, birth date and time, and the mother's name. For further identification verification, you and your partner will also each receive a bracelet with the same information as listed on your baby's bracelet. Your bracelet and your baby's bracelet will be matched and verified throughout your stay and upon leaving the hospital.
In addition, an electronic security tag is attached to your baby's umbilical cord clamp, which contains anelectronic security sensor. This will activate an audible alarm if the baby is taken out of the Perinatal Unit.
A hospital-wide system is in place to respond to this alarm. Babies in the Neonatal Intensive Care Unit (NICU) are continuously monitored by the NICU staff and will receive an electronic security tag when they leave the NICU and arrive in the Nursery.
Baby Photos
For security reasons, a nurse will photograph your baby shortly after his or her birth. This digital photograph will be deleted upon discharge from the hospital. For more details, please contact your nurse.
Video Surveillance
Certain areas of the hospital, including the Perinatal Unit, exits, stairways, elevators and hallways are under 24-hour videotape surveillance.
Transporting Your Baby
All babies are transported in their cribs. Staff members may not carry babies out of the rooms in their arms. Please stop anyone who tries to do so or contact your nurse immediately.
Walking in the Halls or Leaving Your Room
You are welcome to stroll with your baby in our unit hallways; however, the baby must remain in his or her bassinet. Please remember that your baby's umbilical cord clamp may accidentally sound the alarms located at the exits.
If this happens, a staff member will question you to verify your identity. We request that you not leave your baby unattended at any time, even when you use the bathroom or shower in your room. If a family member is not available to watch your infant, please close the door to your room or you may request your nurse watch your baby in the meantime. If you have any questions, please ask your labor or postpartum nurse.
