Help, I am a nurse in a NICU, new to lactnet and posting for the first time.
I hope I do this correctly.  I am frustrated with the hospital LC who rarely
enters are unit (except now that two of us have become serious about
eventually becoming certified and reviewing all our policies).  Anyway, she is
apparently telling the postpartum nurses that it is not cost effective to
double pump and she is now giving Medicaid moms mini electric pumps for long
term pumping.  I need references specific to NICU babies on recommendations
for pump equipment cleaning.  My feeling is that rather than the 2 single
disposable pump kits we give the mom's in the unit each time they pump there
(to double pump) that they could probably clean the reusable ones. Could we
give them several sets and just have them clean/sterilize them each time?
She is concerned about hospital contamination during a cleaning procedure they
would do while in the NICU. Does anyone have procedures that would help us?
Is this a possibility-safely having moms clean their equipment in the NICU
without adding contamination risks for vlbw infants? Using reusable sets long
term instead of disposable hospital sets?  We have 24 weekers as have had them
as small as 600 GMs.  Infection is a big concern.  I have to convince her and
4 neonatologists.  Any policies or procedures would be appreciated as well as
research reference.  I've been searching, but I'm new to this and the computer
and wasting a lot of time.  If you can help, please respond to
[log in to unmask] or on the net.  Thank you so much for your help. Also, how
do other hospitals handle a need for electric pump rentals when there is no
reimbursement and moms can't afford them.  I think if I could prove that
reusable equipment could be safely reused in our unit that we could actually
absorb the cost of the rental and still be ahead.  Any thoughts on this?