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Tue, 29 Dec 1998 08:22:32 EST |
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Dear Lactnetters,
Long time lurker here. First time poster. I just have to add my two cents
worth on being IBCLC. I sat for my boards 11 years ago after having been a
LLL for 9 years. After recieving my certification I had and still have a
private practice and then 7 years ago I began to work for a large teaching
hospital here in Phx. Everyone assumed I was a nurse and I had a hard time
convincing everyone I worked with I was not. 4.5 years ago I began nursing
school to increase my knowledge base and just graduated in December. (Oh no!
More boards in January!) Now what did I learn in nursing school? I learned
about disease process and how to work with other HCP's and a lot about team
management. What did I learn about breastfeeding? Believe it or not I taught
bf to my OB class. Does being a nurse make me a better lactation consultant?
I would have to say yes only because I was a lactation consultant first. Does
being a nurse first make a person a better lactation consultant? I would have
to say no because just like it would take me a lot of time and experience to
become a good nurse it will take a new IBCLC the same time to become a good
lactation consultant. And no I am not going to work as a nurse. No can
believe it but I really went to nursing school to be a better lactation
consultant. That is all I really want to do. I have had a lot of nurses ask
me about becoming a lactation consultant and everyone wants a quick and easy
way to do so. Just like it took me 4.5 years to go to nursing school, it
takes a lot of time and effort to be IBCLC. Being a good OB nurse does not
neccesarily make one a good LC.
Vicki Pena IBCLC ( and hopefully RN)
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