Is anyone old enough to remember when physical therapy was performed by nurses?  As a child, I had a next door neighbor who was an RN who specialized in pt.  Over time, I believe, pt became it's own field and now most pt's are moving towards pHd's in the field.  They plan and educate and consult, but the actual work is sometimes performed by pt techs.  I don't know about paralleles in ot and st, but I wonder.  There is a need for lactation consultants that are truly "consultants" with advanced expertise and training in a variety of disciplines.  I know some would say refer, but referrals take months to happen and a baby's window of opportunity for therapeutic intervention may close and never breastfeed because of inadequate help. I don't think lc's really need to be nurses, but imho, they need medical background to recognize a breastfeeding problem that is really a medical problem.  I see master's level programs developing - which is where I think it needs to be.  And I know there are already some around but probably need to be more rigorous than what's out there.  Clinical mentorships are also very important and need to be more available - and that requires funding for lactation clinics as well as capable and knowledgeable instructors.  I am getting close to retirement and I am looking for nurses that want to go into lactation - but when they look and find there is no difference in pay, but a lot of study and expense to get there, they are re-thinking.  I don't know what the answer is to this.  Hope our forward thinking members of the profession are looking out for future generations in their decisions!

-----Original Message-----
From: Lactation Information and Discussion [mailto:[log in to unmask]] On Behalf Of Patricia Berg-Drazin
Sent: Wednesday, June 16, 2010 10:06 AM
Subject: Re: RN/IBCLC


   Marianne: 

   almost from the inception of the IBCLC there have been forces working to make it rn/ibclc.... as more of the "older" non rn's leave and the newer ones are all rn's the tougher it is to hold ground. 

   i don't know what the answer is... 

 Patricia, RLC, IBCLC, CST


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