This has been forwarded with permission....posted originally to NICU NET
by Dr. Wright he would like lactnet opinion on this policay and
procedure.  Please forward all replies directly to him

Pam Novak Cawley RN, BSN, MEd
e-mail:[log in to unmask]
Langara College
Vancouver, B.C.
Canada
V5Y 2Z6


On Tue, 13 Aug 1996, Ian Wright wrote:

>       Our lactation consultant has asked my to consult the net to see if any one else has been getting the same problems with their infection control people as we appear to be having. They are revising the classification of breast milk as a body fluid such that it will be hospital policy to, among other things, always have to wear gloves when assisting a mother to learn to express. Strictly, as it is not unusual for a jet of breast milk to head in a random direction, the breast not being engineered according to the committee design, then the criteria of risk of eye contact and contamination of clothes are fulfilled and so we should be wearing the goggles and gowns.
>
>       Our take home breast feeding rate from scbu approximates 90% and to compromise that by the adoption of extreme protection measures (babies and husbands are not included apparently!) seems ridiculous. Adoption of this as a hospital policy is important because if the extremely small chance happened and the staff had not been following these "guidelines" then they will be excluded from occupational rights. A tough call the baby being breast fed or your employees protection.
>
>       Have others dealt with this and how? Have you adopted Universal Protection Measures and still kept up a high breast feeding rate?
>
>       Please respond privately or on the net.
>
>
> Dr I.M.R.Wright
> Senior Lecturer Neonatal Medicine
> University of Auckland
> e-mail [log in to unmask]
>