Local News

Victorian nurse accused of ignoring doctor’s orders to feed babies formula

Staff at Box Hill Hospital reportedly claimed the nurse instructed them not to give babies formula ordered by doctors.

A senior nurse in charge of a special care nursery in Victoria has been accused of ignoring doctors’ orders to feed formula to vulnerable babies.

The Age reports on the case of Melissah Burnett, who works at Box Hill Hospital, and who claimed she had been ‘unfairly targeted’ for removal.

She has managed the special care unit for premature babies since 2012.

The Age said staff complained after the nurse “instructed staff not to give medically ordered formula to babies on intravenous fluids, including to a set of twins whose formula was delayed by six hours as a result in July.”

Her lawyer, Josh Bornstein, says Melissah, who has 20 years experience, was “trying to implement best practice guidelines for feeding breastmilk” to premature babies.

The Age says Melissah won a federal court injunction to prevent the hospital from sacking her.

Related stories