My baby was given the wrong breastmilk

Mrs. Alice · July 2011

Add another thing to the NICU roller coaster... While visiting today I noticed a small tuberculin size syringe with colostrum in Owen's incubator. I thought it was odd because I never collected mine in anything less than a 5 cc syringe. When I picked it up and looked at it, there was another woman's name label on it! WTF! So calmly I ask the nurse what she was using it for and she explained that she had used it to put a little colostrum on his pacifier. I then said, "well this is not my name on here". She took the syringe from me and looked at it for a few seconds then ripped off the labels, put them in her pocket, threw the syringe in the trash and walked away. Now I am the type of person who dislikes confrontation, but I was pissed off at this point and went straight to the charge nurse.

So what ended up happening is they checked the other mom's record and fortunately she did not have any positive lab results, but they are going to call her to see if she will come in for more blood work along with having my blood checked again (not sure why). They are treating it like it's a big deal, which it is. The risk is really low, but this whole thing is really upsetting. I mean, the nurse did not follow procedure and made a careless mistake and then tried to cover it up.

Rachie_B · July 2011

My mouth dropped when I read your post!! I'm so sorry that happened to your sweet little one!! I know mistakes happen, but the nurse definitely needed to own up to it and not try to cover it up. I'm just stunned... I know the NICU roller coaster is bad enough, but then this gets thrown in the mix. :-(

katie4253 · July 2011

Mrs. Alice:
Add another thing to the NICU roller coaster... While visiting today I noticed a small tuberculin size syringe with colostrum in Owen's incubator. I thought it was odd because I never collected mine in anything less than a 5 cc syringe. When I picked it up and looked at it, there was another woman's name label on it! WTF! So calmly I ask the nurse what she was using it for and she explained that she had used it to put a little colostrum on his pacifier. I then said, "well this is not my name on here". She took the syringe from me and looked at it for a few seconds then ripped off the labels, put them in her pocket, threw the syringe in the trash and walked away. Now I am the type of person who dislikes confrontation, but I was pissed off at this point and went straight to the charge nurse.
So what ended up happening is they checked the other mom's record and fortunately she did not have any positive lab results, but they are going to call her to see if she will come in for more blood work along with having my blood checked again (not sure why). They are treating it like it's a big deal, which it is. The risk is really low, but this whole thing is really upsetting. I mean, the nurse did not follow procedure and made a careless mistake and then tried to cover it up.

WTF!!!!! The bolded part made me livid for you. I wonder if the other baby got your milk and that's why they are having you tested too. Please update us on this!

bhilyer · July 2011

katie4253:
Mrs. Alice:
Add another thing to the NICU roller coaster... While visiting today I noticed a small tuberculin size syringe with colostrum in Owen's incubator. I thought it was odd because I never collected mine in anything less than a 5 cc syringe. When I picked it up and looked at it, there was another woman's name label on it! WTF! So calmly I ask the nurse what she was using it for and she explained that she had used it to put a little colostrum on his pacifier. I then said, "well this is not my name on here". She took the syringe from me and looked at it for a few seconds then ripped off the labels, put them in her pocket, threw the syringe in the trash and walked away. Now I am the type of person who dislikes confrontation, but I was pissed off at this point and went straight to the charge nurse.
So what ended up happening is they checked the other mom's record and fortunately she did not have any positive lab results, but they are going to call her to see if she will come in for more blood work along with having my blood checked again (not sure why). They are treating it like it's a big deal, which it is. The risk is really low, but this whole thing is really upsetting. I mean, the nurse did not follow procedure and made a careless mistake and then tried to cover it up.
WTF!!!!! The bolded part made me livid for you. I wonder if the other baby got your milk and that's why they are having you tested too. Please update us on this!

My thoughts exactly, Katie!
Alice, I hope everything is perfect with the other mother's b/w. I would make it a point to NEVER allow that nurse to take care of your boys.

damabo80 · July 2011

katie4253:
Mrs. Alice:

She took the syringe from me and looked at it for a few seconds then ripped off the labels, put them in her pocket, threw the syringe in the trash and walked away.

WTF!!!!! The bolded part made me livid for you. I wonder if the other baby got your milk and that's why they are having you tested too. Please update us on this!

OMG. That is crazy!! Let us know how it all turns out!!!

Piper345 · July 2011

That is nuts! I hope it all works out... Btw this happened in my NICU too except they started to give my BM to someone else.

Mrs. Alice · July 2011

Apparently the syringe had accidentally gotten into my bin in the freezer. They have a system with printed labels and barcodes that should be scanned when the milk is checked out, and the nurse failed to do that or even look at the name on the label. I got a call later from the charge nurse and the nurse who was taking care of him talked to me and apologized. She was crying and felt terrible about it. She said she wasn't trying to hide it, but she just panicked. Well... It's still not okay but appreciated I her apologizing. She will not be caring for my children again though. How could you even trust someone after that? I am a nurse too, and I know mistakes happen but she did not handle that right. I'm sure to get some phone calls about it today for the higher ups.

kaylaaimee · July 2011

I would have lost it. I was pretty understanding but that would have sent me over the edge. I am so sorry.

CNAMamaof2 · July 2011

Hi, my mom works in a NICU and unfortunately this happens. Be assured, it is treated as a medication error and the person responsible will get a written warning. They treat it very seriously. Luckily, the risk is low, but I know that doesn't make it any better or more forgivable

JakesBride07 · July 2011

Wow... I am speechless. Keep us posted on the outcome.

Deblondie1 · July 2011

Oh my goodness! You are a better woman than I. I would have lost it immediately on her. It's good that she apologized (if it was sincere) but I would be hard-pressed to not side-eye her for the rest of the time I was there. I'm sorry you have this added stress

Jynx23 · July 2011

I would be really angry too! Apparently this is pretty common because it almost happened in our NICU too. In the middle of my set of labels they printed for me to put on the bottles I noticed that one label had someone else's name on it. If I hadn't noticed that baby would have gotten my breastmilk in a bottle with his name on the label so noone would have thought anything of it.

It made me nervous that some other woman could have one of my name labels on her milk...very scary.

CLAYLIOVER · July 2011

Indifferent

I have no words. I am so sorry. The nurse should be held accountable.

kamcfarlane · July 2011

that is crazy. i would be livid!

FWIW, i imagine they are taking your b/w in order to protect themselves. that way they know if you have any issues in case something happens to your LO and you try to say it was because of the breastmilk. they will have a record of whether you have anything or not and whether it was possible that your breastmilk was the problem instead of the other mom's.

neko621 · July 2011

OMG! I would be furious!! As if you don't have enough to worry and stress about!

ChickensFive · July 2011

Our NICU has two nurses verify the labels on everything. Even so, I wonder if this has happened while my girls have been there. Ick!

urbanflowerpot · July 2011

katie4253:
Mrs. Alice:

Add another thing to the NICU roller coaster... While visiting today I noticed a small tuberculin size syringe with colostrum in Owen's incubator. I thought it was odd because I never collected mine in anything less than a 5 cc syringe. When I picked it up and looked at it, there was another woman's name label on it! WTF! So calmly I ask the nurse what she was using it for and she explained that she had used it to put a little colostrum on his pacifier. I then said, "well this is not my name on here". She took the syringe from me and looked at it for a few seconds then ripped off the labels, put them in her pocket, threw the syringe in the trash and walked away. Now I am the type of person who dislikes confrontation, but I was pissed off at this point and went straight to the charge nurse.

So what ended up happening is they checked the other mom's record and fortunately she did not have any positive lab results, but they are going to call her to see if she will come in for more blood work along with having my blood checked again (not sure why). They are treating it like it's a big deal, which it is. The risk is really low, but this whole thing is really upsetting. I mean, the nurse did not follow procedure and made a careless mistake and then tried to cover it up.

WTF!!!!! The bolded part made me livid for you. I wonder if the other baby got your milk and that's why they are having you tested too. Please update us on this!

Indifferent SERIOUSLY?? she didn't fall over apologizing? she ripped the labels off & threw it away?? Grrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrr

Maryeah · July 2011

My husband is a nurse. I'm sorry, and I have sympathy for nurses, but NICU nurses have all of maybe four patients (and that's if they're low acuity), and that's totally unacceptable. There's a reason they make them scan their items, and a reason why they demand double checking. That woman should be more than just "warned".

flutepharm87 · July 2011

She's only human and mistakes happen. But not owning up to it? COMPLETELY UNACCEPTABLE! And it sounds as if she was really nonchalant about it, too. And right in front of you, as if it didn't even matter. This really disgusts me to hear. I'm livid on your behalf! So sorry you have this to deal with on top of everything else

lemen99 · July 2011

mistakes happen, but OMG I can't believe how she handled it!!

My baby was given the wrong breastmilk

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