Infection Control Manual

Quick Links

Coming Soon

Site Search

Keywords:

Search ICS website
Search entire web

 

 

 

 

Downloads
2007 Neonatal Unit Policy (48 kB)

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Neonatal Units

Infection Control Notes for the Neonatal Unit

These safety precautions should be applied to the management of all babies, since while some HIV-positive babies will be known, others will remain unidentified.

• Wear gloves and protective clothing whenever exposed to baby's blood or secretion as these may all be potentially infectious (this includes heel prick procedures, venesection, arterial blood sampling, etc.)
• Never mouth pipette blood.
• Do not use mouth suction mucus extractors (please use the wall mounted or mobile mechanical suction devices).
• In delivery suite, attending paediatricians should wear long green apron and gloves for receiving delivered babies (liquor, mucus and blood over the neonates are potentially infectious).
• Please ensure that secretions from one mother and baby pair are not allowed to come into contact with the next case to be delivered; serious cross infection between neonates is not uncommon and occurs because of poor hygiene on Resuscitaires, etc.
• Clean centrifuge and blood gas machine according to local policy after each use.

 

References

Lott JW. State of the science: neonatal bacterial infection in the early 21 st century. J Perinat Neonatal Nurs. 2006 Jan-Mar; 20(1):62-70. Review.