Oh, Esther! I can just imagine your reaction! I felt a twinge of it
myself to hear you describe it!

And as usual, your clever response
<I told her that many IBCLC's in Israel were having trouble finding jobs
in hospitals because they are not nurses. I wondered if she could give
us a 6 hour course after which she could issue all of us certificates
that we are nurses.  And that these certificates would be recognized by
the Ministry of Health. Silence on the other end of the line.
I think she got it!!> was JUST PERFECT!

I laughed out loud!

Only other thing that came to mind was that in our state, even to receive
a certificate as a CNA (a state certified nursing assistant, formerly
called a nurses aide) requires weeks of training and clinical
supervision. Some CNA's eventually climb the career ladder to be LPN's,
then AD diploma nurses, and on to higher degrees. Maybe you could develop
a 6 week course for her nurses to qualify them as "Lactation Consultant
Assistants" and START on the career ladder to be IBCLC's!

I am old enough to remember when "Bird" brand respirators started to
appear on the medical surgical floors and all respiratory therapy was
carried out as treatment procedures by nurses. Little white cards for
meds to be issued and charted, and little yellow cards for treatments to
be done and charted (along with the foot soaks, enemas, etc. etc.) Look
where that profession has gone!

I had to spend 6 weeks duty in the diet kitchen as part of my training,
but that certainly didn't make me a dietician! And for at least 15 years
after I graduated, any social work in a hospital was the responsibility
of nurses! Unfortunately (or fortunately, for clients in some cases) the
profession of nursing has a history and heritage of feeling they have to
take responsibility for it all (and therefore, the say-so about all the
"rules" and protocols!).

I suppose this reinforces the point that until the day comes that formal,
academic, discipline-specific preparation is issued a "B.L.C." from a
recognized university, that misperception will continue to exist. But not
to worry-you and I will fall under the "granddaddy clause"!

Carry on, girl!

Jean

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