Hi, All: Sorry I'm a week late in jumping in with my 2 cents worth about workplace attire, but I've been on vacation to St. Louis, MO to visit my Occupational Therapy student daughter during record-setting heat. Figures. I've been creating and running hospital-based programs since 1986 and have always worn street clothes - I only wear a lab coat when I'm actually doing rounds. The rest of the day I'm in street clothes. I suppose it depends on whether the LC position in your institution is management or non. I agree with LIZ that you are taken much more seriously when attired like others at meetings, which usually means at the very least business casual. When I am meeting with or inservicing doctors I will wear what I call a "power suit", same when I am out lecturing or representing the hospital at outside meetings. Otherwise, within house, I normally wear business casual - professional looking without intimidating the families. I've also heard occasionally thruout the years that "Pam used to be a nurse". Last time I looked, my license was active and I still do penises in that yesterday while doing rounds I did a first diaper change post-circ and instructed the mother on circ care because I happened to be in the room and the mom's nurse was busy elsewhere. I don't have issues with meeting other needs of the patients but I don't do meds anymore in that there is too much room for error or miscommunication. Otherwise, one can usually find me helping a mom to the bathroom, changing baby diapers, getting water, or making a bed. All of these activities can be done while talking with the mom about breastfeeding. Yet, they still recognize me as being "different" than their staff nurse. And this can go a long way towards acceptance of lactation by the nursing staff. I have never been "pulled" to staff a unit in 18 years. Pam Hirsch,RN,BSN,CLC Clinical Lead, Lactation Services Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital Barrington, IL USA *********************************************** To temporarily stop your subscription: set lactnet nomail To start it again: set lactnet mail (or digest) To unsubscribe: unsubscribe lactnet All commands go to [log in to unmask] The LACTNET mailing list is powered by L-Soft's renowned LISTSERV(R) list management software together with L-Soft's LSMTP(TM) mailer for lightning fast mail delivery. For more information, go to: http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html