Between 1983 and June 2014 there were 292 infant abductions in America, with nearly half (45 percent) occurring at healthcare facilities. Despite the infrequency of infant abductions in healthcare facilities, hospitals must be diligent in their prevention efforts, according to an article on the Campus Safety website.
Abductors often carefully plan their abduction attempts, becoming familiar with the hospital’s layout, controls and procedures, the article said. Some options for preventing these abductions include:
• Prior to developing a program to , form a multidisciplinary infant security committee that includes members of the maternal/child health, nursing, risk management and public safety departments
• Train new staff immediately on all technologies, policies and procedures