Cindy,  I hear your frustration, and the idea I want to share will not help you now.  But I was struck by Karen's words:

"We clinical types often don't have a knowledge or expertise in the
financial end, and we often don't have an inclination in that direction or
we'd have gone into that vs. clinical work. However, we also don't always
get involved to provide a Director with the info needed to develop or
advocate for a proposal nor do we always use the communication channels
available to us when we don't get the answer we want."

Having recently become a part of the very hierarchical corporate world, I
have been interested to see how conscientiously everyone makes sure that the levels
above them are aware of their accomplishments and contributions to the
success of the company.  When I started in my new position, my boss told me
explicitly that my success within the company was dependent not only on the
actual good I did, but the *accurate perception* of the value I add to the
corporation.  She asked me to be sure to forward her any compliments I
received and to document all the ways I positively affected the company's
bottom line.

At the LLLI Conference in San Francisco I talked briefly with a well-known
LC who had recently found herself at loose ends when her widely respected hospital program
was cut and she and her partner lost their jobs.  She commiserated with me and shared
that the program had been saving the hospital gobs of money and attracting
many new patients.  But when I asked her if she had made sure that the
higher ups were aware of this, she looked at me blankly.

This exchange convinced me that we as a profession (at least those of us in
the US) would benefit from my boss's words of wisdom.  We may be doing
great works, but if no one in our organization knows it, our positions are at risk.
Perhaps in addition to all the clinical paperwork we use, someone should consider
putting together some forms hospital LCs can use to document their financial
value to their organization.

We (and the mothers in our community) lose big time if we underestimate
this piece of the puzzle.

Nancy Mohrbacher, IBCLC
Lactation Education Specialist, Hollister, Inc.
Chicago suburbs, where it appears to be the monsoon season, but we Chicagoans are still happy, because if we win the big  game tonight our Cubs will play World Series baseball for the first time since 1945  (Go Cubs!)  If we win the World Series, it will be the first time since 1908.

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