offlist Re: Re:Believing moms and hospital culture

[Guest guest]

hi jan, please snip your posts to the list, so those on digest do not need to wade through 4-5 or more messages for every new one. thank you.

lyla

From: ibclc@...

Sent: Sunday, September 05, 2010 3:35 PM

To:

Subject: Re: Re:Believing moms and hospital culture

Perhaps this is why IBLCE is requiring a course in documentation.

However, what is interesting is that we chart differently in different parts of the country. And many hospitals don't use long notes any more, so I think that argument is moot. I went to nursing school in IL. When I moved back to MI to take my first "RN" job, I had to learn charting all over again -- and we are talking midwest! I bet I'd have to learn it all over again in CA or WA or MS or NC as well.

It was just an excuse. Why? Because RNs feel more comfortable with "fellow" RNs. And because a lot of them are short-sighted, and don't see the wealth that non-RNs can bring to the profession.

Quite frankly, , their loss.

Jan

Jan, just to illustrate the problem here? I applied for a job (not a hospital job) that advertised for an IBCLC. It involved phone help, teaching bfing classes and in person consultations. The first question was, "are you an RN?" They said they were only considering RN's because "they all speak the same language in charting, etc." I told them I could learn RN-speak. They wouldn't even consider me. It's frustrating. Especially because most of the women in that part. org. knew that I'd been practicing for years and years and even referred moms to me! I don't know how these perceptions can change. It seems like an up hill battle from where i sit.

Beebe, M.Ed., IBCLC Lactation Consultant/Postpartum Doula www.second9months.com

Breastfeeding Between the Lines: http://second9months.wordpress.com/---

Subject: Re: Re:Believing moms and hospital cultureTo: Date: Sunday, September 5, 2010, 12:12 PM

Excuse me, , for seeming to nit-pick here, but I do not believe there is any such thing as a "lay" IBCLC. You are either an IBCLC or you aren't. You may also be an RN, or not, or an RD, or not, or have a MS in Special Education, or not, or an associates degree in criminal justice, or not. But there isn't a "lay" IBCLC.

The hospital does have the right to hire only RN IBCLCs. There are a variety of reasons for that -- some spurious, some because they want to be able to pull them to cover other areas of the hospital -- like going to help with deliveries, or start an IV on a PP mom, or work in the NICU for the day. Some hospitals seem to think that the RN IBCLC will have more experience working with breastfeeding mothers and babies than a non-RN. While in some instances, that may be true, it doesn't make her any better than the non-RN.

It would be instructive, and I've never done this, but would like to ask some hospital administrations exactly why they hire only RN IBCLCs.

Jan Barger, RN, MA, IBCLC, FILCA

in my town you can't work in a hospital as a "lay" IBCLC. I did once, but that was a VERY unusual situation and I was a contracted person who came in only when a mom asked for help. I didn't do rounds, per se. the person who hired me eventually got fired--in part for doing things in a non-hospital kind of way.