Anyone talk a hospital in to car seat classes or checking seats

kmcenery · Jun 4, 2008

Im taking a course to get certified in Sep. None of the hospitals in my area offer any thing car seat related. We have kaiser and about 4-6 others with in an hour from my home. I was wondering if anyone talked a hosptial in to hiring them to check seats before parents leave the hospital or do a car seat class a week? I was thinking of asking a few here if they would do this. How would I go about doing this? I was thinking if I came to them about a class I should have the class planed out. Is there are website I can get material? Any thing im not thinking about let me know. I dont know if this is even a good idea. I see so many car seats done wrong here just walking thru target or babies r us. No one can helo any one at target and babies r us always gives out bad info.

Thank you

An Aurora · Jun 4, 2008

IME the hospitals in our area are interested but leary due to liability, and not willing to pay for anything. They were definitely interested in having me volunteer my time but that costs me $10/hr in daycare so it's just not feasible.

agurlsride · Jun 4, 2008

Same here...I tried a few times when I was working at a hospital back in California, no one wanted the liability..I haven't tried here in Arizona.

Heather98012 · Jun 4, 2008

The hospital where I delivered had a team. They were only there on certain days in 04 when I delivered, but in 05 they got a grant & had at least one full time tech & some PT ones, too.

I think it's pretty much essential!!

Wineaux · Jun 4, 2008

I'm working on something locally, but it's still in the formative stages. My goal? Educate the parents, the Ped's using the hospital for L&D, special needs seats, and seat checks/installs. Oh, and creating a F/T paid position for myself in the process. I think I have found a way to quiet their liability concerns, but need to speak with a corporate law attorney, and then some folks at the hospital first to see if they agree with my solution.

I'll keep you posted if my formula works!

zactayaus · Jun 4, 2008

The hospital I delivered ds#2 at had a person come to your room on the day of discharge with a vehicle seat on a rolling platform. You had to have your car seat that you would be taking the baby home in with you. They checked to make sure the seat wasn't expired and made sure you not only new how to install the seat but you or your partner had to put the baby in the seat while they were in your room so they could make sure you knew how to properly buckle up your infant. They went over making sure that the straps were at our below your babies shoulders (they even made you or your partner change the harness into the next slots and then back again so they knew you knew how to do it. The showed you where the chest clip needed to be and they even went over using pool noodles to get a proper angle, among other things. Also you were not aloud to leave the hospital until you participated in the demonstration. It was so informative and hands on I thought it was great.:thumbsup:

Brendan's Mom · Jun 4, 2008

I am a peds nurse and have worked at a few different hospitals. We can't discharge a patient unless they have a seat, but we are not allowed to put the child in the seat or install the seat due to liability. Where I delivered were not even allowed to put the child in the seat before we got into the car...even in the winter because they don't want to be held liable for any incorrect seatings. I think it is essential to inform parents on carseats so I am all for having a tech in each pediatric/L and D unit. Good Luck

Stretchy Glue · Jun 4, 2008

An Aurora said:
IME the hospitals in our area are interested but leary due to liability, and not willing to pay for anything. They were definitely interested in having me volunteer my time but that costs me $10/hr in daycare so it's just not feasible.

Our local hospital does have a check up once a month, but I'm in the same boat as Anna, and am either working or have to find child care. We have a guy on our team that works for EMS so he's already getting paid for this, and a gal from the FD so they do most of those things. Not a lot of funds around here for CPSTs.

Victorious4 · Jun 4, 2008

I've gotta eat & run, but search through the Lifesavers files -- I remember a workshop last year about hospitals.... (I just haven't been able to access my files)

kmcenery · Jun 4, 2008

Wineaux said:
I'm working on something locally, but it's still in the formative stages. My goal? Educate the parents, the Ped's using the hospital for L&D, special needs seats, and seat checks/installs. Oh, and creating a F/T paid position for myself in the process. I think I have found a way to quiet their liability concerns, but need to speak with a corporate law attorney, and then some folks at the hospital first to see if they agree with my solution.

I'll keep you posted if my formula works!

Yes please keep me updated. I cant belive that I live in a big town and none of the hospitals have anything car seat related. Im moved here from a small town (Napa CA) and they have a car seat safety class at the hospital.

carseatcoach · Jun 4, 2008

kmcenery said:
I was wondering if anyone talked a hosptial in to hiring them to check seats before parents leave the hospital or do a car seat class a week?

Are you a tech? If you are not, getting certified would be the first step.

kmcenery · Jun 4, 2008

chickabiddy said:
Are you a tech? If you are not, getting certified would be the first step.

Im taking a course to get certified in Sep. That was the very first thing I wrote. Im not going to talk to anyone untill after that but I want to get everything figuared out now before I talk to them after my class.

kmcenery · Jun 4, 2008

papooses said:
I've gotta eat & run, but search through the Lifesavers files -- I remember a workshop last year about hospitals.... (I just haven't been able to access my files)

Where would I fine the Lifesavers files (sorry new to all this)

ShumNum · Jun 4, 2008

Liability, Liability, Liability. Hospitals hate liability and avoid it at all costs. I think it's wonderful that you want to start a program, but I will warn you in advance that you need to be prepared to fight an uphill battle.

I am a Child Life Specialist (and CPST) employed at a peds hospital here in MD and have been a tech for almost 2 years. For the past 14 months I have been working on writing policies, developing programming, and seeking funding to start some sort of car seat safety 'program' at our hospital (currently parents just watch a video). It has been no easy task and the only way I have been able to do it is by having affiliations within the hospital so that I'm able to tug the strings I need. There are so many considerations when it comes to hospitals and the 3 big ones are HIPPA laws, liability, and insurance/$.

Also, congratulations on wanting to become a CPST! That's great! Once you become certified, my best advice to you is to get out into the field (under the supervision of a senior checker) and go check seats at seat check events! You certainly will learn a lot at the CPST class, but until you can practice it and know it blindfolded (well almost), I don't recommend offering your services to a large organization such as a hospital without the guidance of a senior tech. What might be a good strategy for starters is to encourage your local hospital to provide information as to where they can get their child/baby's carseat checked...and then you become affiliated with that/those checkpoints.

If you were wanting to 'start a program' at your local hospital, and they are affiliated with JCHAO, the issues of standards and continuity of care among ALL patient populations are required. So, if your hospital deals with special needs (ie. preemies, orthopedic kids, etc) the car seat program would have to be offered to them as well...and special needs is a whole other 'bag of worms.'

It's a very admirable thing that you want to do and I say keep on it...but don't become disheartened in the process! I think sometime in the next 10 years hospitals will be more 'on board' with the whole car-seat thing, but in the meantime we all just need to keep advocating and researching!

kmcenery · Jun 5, 2008

ShumNum said:
Liability, Liability, Liability. Hospitals hate liability and avoid it at all costs. I think it's wonderful that you want to start a program, but I will warn you in advance that you need to be prepared to fight an uphill battle.

I am a Child Life Specialist (and CPST) employed at a peds hospital here in MD and have been a tech for almost 2 years. For the past 14 months I have been working on writing policies, developing programming, and seeking funding to start some sort of car seat safety 'program' at our hospital (currently parents just watch a video). It has been no easy task and the only way I have been able to do it is by having affiliations within the hospital so that I'm able to tug the strings I need. There are so many considerations when it comes to hospitals and the 3 big ones are HIPPA laws, liability, and insurance/$.

Also, congratulations on wanting to become a CPST! That's great! Once you become certified, my best advice to you is to get out into the field (under the supervision of a senior checker) and go check seats at seat check events! You certainly will learn a lot at the CPST class, but until you can practice it and know it blindfolded (well almost), I don't recommend offering your services to a large organization such as a hospital without the guidance of a senior tech. What might be a good strategy for starters is to encourage your local hospital to provide information as to where they can get their child/baby's carseat checked...and then you become affiliated with that/those checkpoints.

If you were wanting to 'start a program' at your local hospital, and they are affiliated with JCHAO, the issues of standards and continuity of care among ALL patient populations are required. So, if your hospital deals with special needs (ie. preemies, orthopedic kids, etc) the car seat program would have to be offered to them as well...and special needs is a whole other 'bag of worms.'

It's a very admirable thing that you want to do and I say keep on it...but don't become disheartened in the process! I think sometime in the next 10 years hospitals will be more 'on board' with the whole car-seat thing, but in the meantime we all just need to keep advocating and researching!

How do I find a senior checker in my area. The class is 2 hrs away so not a drive I can make all the time. Also how do I find hospitals in my area that is affiliated with JCHAO
I have installed my seats (4 differant ones) and my sisters (2 differant ones one is the same I have) After I installed them I took them down to be checked and all was fine the tech did not have to do anything to them. some rf and some ff.

Anyone talk a hospital in to car seat classes or checking seats

kmcenery

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An Aurora

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agurlsride

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Heather98012

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Wineaux

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zactayaus

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Brendan's Mom

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Stretchy Glue

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Victorious4

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kmcenery

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carseatcoach

Carseat Crankypants

kmcenery

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kmcenery

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ShumNum

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kmcenery

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