From breast to baby: quality assurance for breast milk management

Neonatal Netw. 2000 Oct;19(7):21-5. doi: 10.1891/0730-0832.19.7.21.

Abstract

Breast milk is a body fluid capable of transmitting blood-borne pathogens when ingested. High-risk infants are frequently fed mother's expressed breast milk and may be at risk if they receive the wrong mother's milk. A multidisciplinary team at this 42-bed Level III regional NICU developed a quality assurance program and audit aimed at reducing the risk of feeding expressed breast milk (EBM) to the wrong high-risk infant in the unit. Changes to the old system included modernizing the handling, storing, and distribution of EBM. Elimination of feeding errors was the priority. A specific protocol to minimize EBM feeding errors became part of the quality assurance program and is consistent with the recommendations of the NICU multidisciplinary team.

MeSH terms

  • Breast Feeding
  • Canada
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Infant, Newborn
  • Intensive Care Units, Neonatal
  • Male
  • Milk, Human*
  • Neonatal Nursing / methods
  • Quality Assurance, Health Care*
  • Risk Assessment
  • Specimen Handling / nursing*
  • Specimen Handling / standards*
  • Total Quality Management