NY - Amanda Burke, 29, NICU Nurse arrested after Disturbing Video Shows Baby Slammed, Long Island, 2023

[Tower]

Unbelievably, it is a matter of policy that there are no cameras recording patient care in US medical facilities. Supposedly it is a matter of patient confidentiality but I think it's because of liability for medical malpractice.

There are no bedside cameras at any of the 3 NICUs I visit at a large private hospital, large county hospital and small rural hospital. One of these hospitals has 87 NICU beds, the others are both smaller. I agree with evilwise, it would only be a liability to the hospital to record patient care, so they would have good incentive not to do that. Cameras are in hallways, elevators, etc.

I am a pediatric PT. Just my own experience.

 

[AC's Grandma]

Unbelievably, it is a matter of policy that there are no cameras recording patient care in US medical facilities. Supposedly it is a matter of patient confidentiality but I think it's because of liability for medical malpractice.

I live in FL and in different parts of the hospitals' patient rooms there are cameras that record everything. Nurses watch them from the desk on the floor. I was advised of this but not consent was required, my husband was the patient. He was most definitely not aware and never signed anything so no consent was given by him either.

 

[evilwise]

I live in FL and in different parts of the hospitals' patient rooms there are cameras that record everything. Nurses watch them from the desk on the floor. I was advised of this but not consent was required, my husband was the patient. He was most definitely not aware and never signed anything so no consent was given by him either.

I wish that were the standard everywhere but it definitely isn't. I would have much more confidence with a loved one in a facility where it was.

 

[TGIRecovered]

I did a clinical rotation in a NICU recently. They had an arrangement where the RN would put a camera close-up on the baby's isolette twice a day for an hour or two so the parents could see their babies if they couldn't be at the bedside. A few parents stayed at the bedside many hours each day, but most of the parents whose babies were in NICU for weeks or months had to return to work. I can only imagine the heartache of being unable to be with my baby!

When parents were visiting, they had a choice to pull the curtains around the area with the isolette and reclining chairs. Some parents preferred to leave the curtains open and interact with the nurses or other parents.

I helped care for premature twins who needed a very low-stimulation environment. We clustered the feedings and other care every three hours so the babies could rest. The isolette was covered in between care times to limit light and noise. The nurse responded quickly when the baby's vital signs indicated a significant change or the baby cried. All of the touch was done with consideration for the baby's comfort.

The NICU was bustling with multiple RNs, therapists, case managers, charge nurse physicians, and parents in and out. The only time I saw curtains closed when the parents weren't there was when a physician had to insert a tracheal tube. Two nurses stood by to assist, and they allowed me and another student to observe.

 

[LaborDayRN]

I did a clinical rotation in a NICU recently. They had an arrangement where the RN would put a camera close-up on the baby's isolette twice a day for an hour or two so the parents could see their babies if they couldn't be at the bedside. A few parents stayed at the bedside many hours each day, but most of the parents whose babies were in NICU for weeks or months had to return to work. I can only imagine the heartache of being unable to be with my baby!

When parents were visiting, they had a choice to pull the curtains around the area with the isolette and reclining chairs. Some parents preferred to leave the curtains open and interact with the nurses or other parents.

I helped care for premature twins who needed a very low-stimulation environment. We clustered the feedings and other care every three hours so the babies could rest. The isolette was covered in between care times to limit light and noise. The nurse responded quickly when the baby's vital signs indicated a significant change or the baby cried. All of the touch was done with consideration for the baby's comfort.

The NICU was bustling with multiple RNs, therapists, case managers, charge nurse physicians, and parents in and out. The only time I saw curtains closed when the parents weren't there was when a physician had to insert a tracheal tube. Two nurses stood by to assist, and they allowed me and another student to observe.

Our NICU functions in a very similar way as far as cameras on the babies that the parent's can watch from home for limited periods of time. But as for continuous surveilance cameras being on in our NICU, I don't believe those were being used. As I said earlier though, I never worked in the NICU and only went in to occassionally (rarely really) after a delivery I had attended to check on the baby. I knew I wouldn't sleep at night without knowing if the baby was stable.
I worked at a hospital (now retired) with a very high delivery rate. We delivered between 4,000 & 5,000 thousand babies a year. In turn this means that the NICU can be very busy as well. In our NICU there were RN's, RT's & Physicians there at all times.

 

[LaborDayRN]

I keep checking online for criminal charges but all I can find is that it's being "investigated" by LE.

 

[LadyL]

I can't bring myself to click on the story but she BETTER be getting charged criminally.

 

[LaborDayRN]

I can't bring myself to click on the story but she BETTER be getting charged criminally.

I'm thinking it might be because it's the weekend? I hope we hear something tomorrow.

 

[Tower]

I live in FL and in different parts of the hospitals' patient rooms there are cameras that record everything. Nurses watch them from the desk on the floor. I was advised of this but not consent was required, my husband was the patient. He was most definitely not aware and never signed anything so no consent was given by him either.

In general, if it benefits the hospital, it is more likely to happen. In your husband’s case, they are likely monitoring patients because nurses are not able to be at the bedside as much as they’d like. In NICU, they typically aren’t able to monitor babies inside an incubator in this way and babies are not unsafely getting out of bed , so most NICUs do not have cameras.

I have visited several modern NICUs that have all private rooms that use more cameras, but have never seen a NICU that does it 24/7. I think it would be great and would protect and benefit everyone, especially the baby. In very rare cases, parents and visitors or even nurses may mean the baby harm.

All my own experience and opinion

 

[LaborDayRN]

ICU nurse is charged with child endangerment after slamming newborn

A new father witnessed his son being slammed face down in his bassinet by a NICU nurse, who was subsequently fired and has recently had charges filed against her.

www.dailymail.co.uk

Long Island NICU nurse is charged with child endangerment after she slammed a newborn baby facedown into bassinet and was caught on camera by the child's father​

A nurse in Long Island has been charged after a father caught her on video picking up his two-day-old infant and slamming him face down into his bassinet.

The NICU nurse, Amanda Burke, 29, was arrested Wednesday morning and charged with endangering the welfare of the newborn named Nikko.

The incident happened on February 6 at the Good Samaritan Hospital in West Islip, Long Island. Burke was fired hours after.

 

[musicaljoke]

Our NICU functions in a very similar way as far as cameras on the babies that the parent's can watch from home for limited periods of time. But as for continuous surveilance cameras being on in our NICU, I don't believe those were being used. As I said earlier though, I never worked in the NICU and only went in to occassionally (rarely really) after a delivery I had attended to check on the baby. I knew I wouldn't sleep at night without knowing if the baby was stable.
I worked at a hospital (now retired) with a very high delivery rate. We delivered between 4,000 & 5,000 thousand babies a year. In turn this means that the NICU can be very busy as well. In our NICU there were RN's, RT's & Physicians there at all times.

From what I understand the baby was in NICU in order to have antibiotics administered. Was it your experience, @LaborDayRN , that babies would be separated from their mothers for this rather uncomplicated treatment?

 

[10ofRods]

From what I understand the baby was in NICU in order to have antibiotics administered. Was it your experience, @LaborDayRN , that babies would be separated from their mothers for this rather uncomplicated treatment?

Giving neonates antibiotics isn't always uncomplicated, especially if they need IV antibiotics but are being given oral antibiotics at a higher dose instead (and I do hope the poor little baby didn't have to have any pricks). I would assume the baby was in sepsis, which is life threatening. Dosing such a tiny baby is complicated.

https://www.futuremedicine.com/doi/abs/10.2217/fmb-2017-0058

IMO.

 

[Gardenista]

Criminal charge against nurse DA said 'violently slammed' newborn in ICU dismissed

The criminal case against Amanda Burke, who was accused of "violently slamming" a newborn baby in a New York ICU last year, were dismissed as her trial was about to begin.

lawandcrime.com

 

[AzPistonsGirl]

from @Gardenista's link:

Gottlieb [defense atty] explained that the essential element of the endangering charge prosecutors would have to show is that Burke’s actions were “likely to cause physical injury” to Nikko. He said that nine months ago, he provided prosecutors with an expert report stating that Burke’s conduct, which was recorded, was not likely to cause Nikko injury.
....
he DA’s expert also agreed that Burke’s actions were not likely to cause physical injury to Nikko that prosecutors called Gottlieb and advised they would be dropping the charges.
...
and from the DA: “Unfortunately, despite the disturbing video which captured the incident in this case, the New York State Department of Licensing found the defendant did not act with gross negligence,” he said. “As such, we could not prove the charge beyond a reasonable doubt at trial.”

 

[LadyL]

I'm sick to death. Now she will face no repercussions of her violence against a tiny 2-day old baby. His parents must be devastated. She better not ever work with children again. Is she going to now sue for her job back??? Ugh.

 

[ChatteringBirds]

Working in the NICU is clearly too stressful for her. I would guess it's one of the more stressful nursing positions.

I hope she realizes she did deserve to be fired, though. If you can't be gentle with the babies, even when under stress, you don't belong in the NICU.