Temporary hospital names for newborns, such as “Babygirl Smith” or “Babyboy Garcia,” can make it easier for staff to confuse one infant with another. Research in neonatal intensive care units has linked these generic names to wrong-patient orders, and since January 1, 2019, The Joint Commission has required accredited hospitals that provide labor and delivery services to use distinct methods of identifying newborns. When an identification mix-up leads to a medication, feeding, or treatment error that harms a baby, the family may have legal options.
Many Houston-area parents wait to choose a name until after delivery, and babies who need intensive care are often admitted before a name is chosen. That means there are many infants in a hospital at any moment who are identified by a temporary name. Davis & Davis represents Houston families whose children were harmed by hospital errors, including a doctor’s or nurse’s mistake during a newborn’s care.
Why Temporary Newborn Names Create Risk
Newborns cannot state their names or birth dates, many look alike, and in a busy unit several may share the same last name or a similar temporary label. Twins and other multiples add another layer, because siblings share a last name and arrive at the same time. Generic names such as “Babyboy” give staff very little to tell patients apart when entering an order, scanning a wristband, or labeling a specimen.
The errors that can follow are serious. Examples include a medication or dose intended for another infant, a feeding of another mother’s breast milk, a lab result recorded in the wrong chart, a procedure ordered for the wrong baby, or in rare cases, a baby given to the wrong parents. Each of these can expose a fragile newborn to harm.
What the Research Shows
A study published in Pediatrics in 2015 by Jason Adelman and colleagues examined how temporary names affected wrong-patient orders in two neonatal intensive care units at a New York medical center. The researchers measured “retract-and-reorder” events, where a clinician places an order, cancels it within minutes, and places the same order for a different patient. These events serve as a measure of near misses, orders that were placed for the wrong patient and caught before they reached the baby.
After the units switched from nonspecific names like “Babygirl Jones” to a distinct format that included the mother’s first name, such as “Judysgirl Jones,” retract-and-reorder events fell by 36.3 percent. Because the study measured near misses rather than injuries, it shows how distinct naming reduces the opportunities for harm, not a count of babies who were hurt. The Washington Post reported on the findings when they were released.
What The Joint Commission Requires
The Joint Commission addressed the issue in an October 2015 Quick Safety advisory on temporary newborn names, later updated in 2021. In a June 2018 report, it announced a new requirement under National Patient Safety Goal NPSG.01.01.01, Element of Performance 3: hospitals and critical access hospitals that provide labor and delivery services must use distinct methods of identification for newborn patients. The requirement took effect January 1, 2019.
The standard does not mandate one naming format, but it gives the example of combining the mother’s first and last names with the newborn’s sex, such as “Smith, Judy Girl,” with letters added for multiples. Safeguards commonly used in newborn units include:
- Distinct temporary names: Using the mother’s first name or another unique element rather than “Babyboy” or “Babygirl” alone.
- Two identifiers: Confirming at least two patient identifiers, such as name and medical record number, before medications, feedings, and procedures.
- Visual and system alerts: Flagging similar names in the unit and in the electronic health record so staff take extra care.
- Breast milk verification: Matching labeled milk to the correct infant before every feeding.
Parents can ask how their hospital identifies newborns and multiples, what bands their baby wears, and how milk and medications are checked. Those questions are reasonable, and staff should be able to answer them.
When a Newborn Identification Error May Be Medical Negligence
Hospitals and their staff must follow safe identification practices, and a mix-up that harms a baby may support a health care liability claim. The question is whether the care fell below the accepted standard, for example by skipping identifier checks, ignoring a name alert, or failing to verify breast milk, and whether that failure caused the injury. Depending on the facts, a claim may involve the nurses or physicians involved and the hospital itself. Our hospital error and pediatric malpractice pages describe these claims in more detail.
Texas claims follow Chapter 74 of the Civil Practice and Remedies Code. Written notice must go to each provider at least 60 days before suit, and a report from a qualified physician must be served within 120 days after each defendant answers. Claims generally must be filed within two years, but children under 12 have until their 14th birthday, subject to a 10-year statute of repose. Texas also caps non-economic damages under Section 74.301.
Talk With Davis & Davis About a Newborn Care Error
If your baby was harmed after a medication, feeding, or treatment error in a Houston hospital, an attorney can review the records and consult qualified physicians to determine what happened. Compensation may be available for medical expenses, future care, and other damages, though every case is different and no result can be promised. To schedule a free, confidential consultation, please complete our contact form.
Source: washingtonpost.com, “‘Babyboy, babygirl’ hospital naming conventions may be cause of mix ups“, Ariana Eunjung Cha, July 13, 2015
Frequently Asked Questions About Newborn Identification Errors
Why do hospitals use names like Babygirl or Babyboy?
A newborn must be registered and given a medical record as soon as they are born, often before parents have chosen a name. Hospitals assign a temporary name so care can begin, but generic labels can make it harder to tell infants apart.
Does The Joint Commission require distinct newborn names?
Since January 1, 2019, NPSG.01.01.01 Element of Performance 3 has required accredited hospitals with labor and delivery services to use distinct methods of identifying newborns. The standard gives an example format but lets each hospital choose its own method.
Does distinct naming actually reduce errors?
A 2015 Pediatrics study found that switching to names that included the mother’s first name reduced retract-and-reorder events, a measure of near-miss wrong-patient orders, by 36.3 percent in two neonatal intensive care units.
Are twins at higher risk of identification errors?
Multiples share a last name and often arrive and receive care at the same time, which adds to the risk of confusion. That is why many hospitals add letters or other distinct markers for multiples and use extra identifier checks.
How long do I have to file a claim for a newborn’s injury in Texas?
Texas generally allows two years for health care liability claims, but a child under 12 has until their 14th birthday, subject to a 10-year statute of repose. Parents’ own claims, such as for medical expenses, may follow a different timeline, so an attorney should review the dates promptly.
