Consent for routine neonatal procedures: A study of practices in Irish neonatal units. How do we compare with the gold standard BAPM guidelines?

Ryan, Mary Anne; Ryan, C. Anthony; Dempsey, Eugene M.; O'Connell, R.

Consent for routine neonatal procedures: A study of practices in Irish neonatal units. How do we compare with the gold standard BAPM guidelines?

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Published version

Date

2017-06

Authors

Ryan, Mary Anne

Ryan, C. Anthony

Dempsey, Eugene M.

O'Connell, R.

Publisher

Irish Medical Organisation

Abstract

The Irish National Consent Policy (NCP)¹ proposes that the legal requirement for consent extends to all forms of interventions, investigations and treatment, carried out on or behalf of the Health Service Executive (HSE). This study employs a quantitative descriptive approach to investigate the practices for obtaining consent for an identified group of routine neonatal procedures in neonatal facilities throughout Ireland. The BAPM (British Association of Perinatal Medicine)² guidelines were identified as ‘gold standard’ for the purposes of this study. The results indicated a lack of consistency between participating units pertaining to the modes of consent utilised and notable variances from ‘gold standard’ guidelines. Unanimity was evident for 3 procedures only (administering BCG, 6-in-1, and donor breast milk to infant). Significant findings related to EEG with video recordings, MRI/CT and gastro intestinal imaging, screening of an infant with suspected substance abuse or retinopathy of prematurity screening (ROP), administration of Vitamin K, and the carrying out of a lumbar puncture.

Keywords

BCG vaccine , Vitamin K group , Breast milk expression , Clinical nurse specialist , Electrocorticography , Electroencephalography , Gold standard , Health survey , Hospital , Ireland , Lumbar puncture , Milk bank , Newborn , Nuclear magnetic resonance imaging , Pediatric hospital , Pediatric ward , Perinatal care , Pilot study , Questionnaire , Retrolental fibroplasia , Screening , Practice guidelines

Citation

Ryan, M A, Ryan, C A, Dempsey E, and O'Connell R. (2017) 'Consent for routine neonatal procedures: A study of practices in Irish neonatal units. How do we compare with the gold standard BAPM guidelines?', Irish Medical Journal, 110 (6), 584.