I have never been pulled to take a patient assignment, but I do feed babies bottles of formula or breastmilk to help the NICU nurses out when they are overstressed. I do reposition babies when they are squirmy, and I do check and troubleshoot cardiac monitors that go off and adjust oxygen as a baby needs it. I check IV sites and reset pumps when the alarms go off. I even cover the regular nursery so the nurse can go to the bathroom, and will answer questions for them about near term and premature infants. I do it because I can, and because these nurses help me out as well. They alert me to low milk supply, let me know which mothers need more help than they can manage and help and support me in so many ways that have had little to do with breastfeeding.
We respect each other and work together. If I said that I won't do that because it's not my job, how long would it be until some of them said they didn't want to do breastfeeding---BECAUSE IT'S MY JOB, NOT THEIRS.
Maureen Allen, RN, BSN, IBCLC
Boston, MA
-----Original Message-----
From: Sheena & Jason Carnes <[log in to unmask]>
To: [log in to unmask]
Sent: Mon, 3 Oct 2005 09:14:33 -0500
Subject: Re: RN/IBCLC
Hello Lactnetters, I don't post much at all, but do read almost every post
to expand my knowledge. This discussion is very interesting to me. I'm an
RN, LLL Leader, "breastfeeding educator". I was an RN first, had my first
daughter and fell in love with LLL. I was asked by the fellow leaders if
I'd like to become a leader, so I started my leader application process. It
was challenging and did prepare me as well as it can without really going
out and getting hands on experience cousnseling bf mothers. To get to the
point, I am now a registry staff nurse on Mother/Baby, but also working in
the lactation department at our hospital. There was on one occasion that I
did get asked to pull away from Lactation duties and work the floor, I was
asked by our nurse manager. It was a tough decision and she let it be up to
me, but I quickly made rounds on the rest of the mothers and then did switch
over to staff nurse duties. But let me say it was very frustrating, we were
so short staffed that it was one of the most stressful shifts I can
remember. As short staffed as it was, I thought "what if I didn't work", it
would have been much worse. So therein lies the dilemma...yes I'm a
lactation nurse, but I'm also a nurse who cares about mothers and children.
If I didn't clock in and help out on the floor the care could have possibly
been very bad that day. Maybe they could have found someone else, but they
had already called most. I have also on occasion made rounds in the evening
and on weekends when staffing can also be short. I know the realities of
short staffing and see how my fellow nurses are running around trying to do
the best care they can. It usually doesn't bother me too much to step in
and help if I can, for example a few weeks ago a 30 week mother came in
labor and no one could start the IV, I got it started for them, it didn't
take me long, but that wasn't what I was there for, I was there to see the
BF moms. I realize I can't be all things, so that is why this discussion is
interesting. For the most part, the nurses know that when I have my white
lab coat on I am there to see the BF moms, not there to work the floor. I
wonder how many other lactation nurses in hospitals get approached to work
on the floor and how they handle the situation?
And I also want to thank all of you very special, highly skilled, and
intelligent lactation professionals, counselors and advocates. The
knowledge I gain here is priceless and helps me keep my excitement for
breastfeeding alive.
Sheena Carnes, RN LLL Leader
Mom to 3 BF girls...whos 3 year old baby said she didn't want to nurse last
night and hasn't nursed for 4 days...this may be the weaning...sigh....
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