Does the current standard for Infant/Child Abduction drills still require a minimum of 2 drills per year?
A. The Joint Commission standards do not require infant/child abduction drills. The standards do require that the organization identifies and implements security procedures that address handling of an infant or pediatric abduction, as applicable. An exercise is one method to evaluate the effectiveness of the procedures regarding this issue. It is up to the organization to determine the appropriate actions to ensure successful implementation of the security procedures. Conduct a risk assessment through a multi-disciplinary group that includes OB, NICU, Pediatrics and other staff, such as Safety Officer, Security Officer, Emergency Room staff, foster care personnel, direct child care staff, and possibly the Risk Manager with each providing input in their area of expertise to address actual and potential risk.
