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How was it like being a nursing student?

How can drug testing a newborn baby WITHOUT probable cause be justified, but a nursing student is expelled for posting a pic of a placenta?

  • Yesterday after reading a news story about a woman who had her newborn taken away from her because the baby tested positive for drugs I posted a question about should newborns be tested for drugs. http://www.answerbag.com/a_view/10107287 A lot of people thought drug testing a newborn should be standard procedure. Today I read a story on Fox.com about a nursing student who was expelled because she posted a picture on facebook of her standing and smiling next to a placenta in one of her classes.http://www.foxnews.com/us/2011/01/02/placenta-photo-gets-kan-nursing-students-expelled/?test=latestnews I thought laws dictated that one can not be drug tested without probable cause. I mean if the mother comes in to give birth and she's obviously on drugs then yes by all means test the baby, but if the mother is showing no signs of drug use then why should her civil liberties be violated (people have been known to test positive for opium after eating a muffin with poppy seeds.) But if a medical student posses for a picture with a placenta (which in no way identifies the woman who donated it) everyone is shocked, shaken, and upset. I simply don't get it. Your views please.

  • Answer:

    Babies are routinely tested for a lot of things when born, because it is the responsibility of the hospital to adequately provide effective care and treatment of the child. Some care is dependent on knowing what, if any, drugs are in the child's system because not knowing could be fatal when trying to treat the child. The federal government passed the Keeping Children and Families Safe Act in 2003 requiring states to pass their own legislation on newborn drug screenings. So state laws, which vary, are responsible for complying with this. Personally, I'd be much happier with manditory paternity testing of all newborns...or at least adding it to the list of manditory testing. There would probably be a lot fewer tragic cases of "misplaced paternity" out there if people knew such testing was going to happen.

Funkycherry at Answerbag.com Visit the source

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Society also has a vested interest in protecting the young. Child services is but one aspect. Blood testing is standard operating procedure for a child. They test for more than just drugs, but also conditions and other life threatening diseases. They do this so that they can take care of a problem at the earliest and most important stage. Now the placenta- was it hers? If not, then more than likely it was a body part that she needed authorisation from the patient that they got it from before posting. Dignity of the patient. Would you want a nurse who is so cavalier in her approach working on you?

Moongrim

it doesn't matter if you can't tell who the placenta came from. it still violates hipaa.

Curiosity didnt kill the cat. I did.

ALL mothers who are going to give birth are tested. this is NOT JUST to see if they are addicts. it is RIGHT to test the mother and the baby for drugs to protect the baby. I have been present for such situations, to assist. The baby NEEDS TO BE protected by law if the mother neglects it.( being on drugs when pregnant is neglect).

Shunyata

well heres what happened in one situation, it was deemed unconstitutional. there was also racist intent behind it at this hospital. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ferguson_v._City_of_Charleston as for the placenta, thank God she was expelled. that is from a woman's body, from inside her uterus, it comes out after the baby. what a disgusting ignorant young woman, taking a picture of such a personal thing.

TheLaLa

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