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Subject:
From:
Janet Simpson <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
Lactation Information and Discussion <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Thu, 1 Aug 1996 12:36:18 -0400
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Hi ALl,
I have to agree strongly with Barbara's post.  A friend and I were talking
about this very topic just the other day.  The passing score for the IBLCE
exam seems so low to us.  I recall it being said that it is 68, am I correct?
 Seems to me that it needs to be higher.  One reason this would be a good
thing is because there are LC's out there who, though they have passed the
exam, have no clue about what they are doing (I know of a couple) and they
have caused harm.  I am sure that there are these types all over.  A more
stringent scoring system would keep those out there who really are not
qualified from barely passing and getting a title that they may not really
deserve.
The newness of this field presents, IMHO, a few problems when there are LC's
out there practicing who shouldn't be.  They give us all a bad name.  All it
takes is one mom saying that her LC was horrid to make another mom not even
give a good LC a chance.  (had this experience!)    Also, it makes the
profession look not as professional as we want to be.  Dr's and nurses don't
really have this particular problem because there are always other Dr's and
nurses, and they have been around for so long.  However, in some communities,
there may only be 1-2 LC's and if one is bad, the other, who may be great,
pays the price too.
Licensure is an excellant idea.  I wonder if it is possible to have one set
standard throughout the US, or if, by raising the standards for passing the
IBLCE exam (to maybe an 75-80% needed to pass with specific CEU's required in
the areas the person didn't do so hot in for recertification) using the IBLCE
exam as THE licensing test.  Then we would take the exam, pass well, or not
at all, and be licensed as well as given the title IBCLC.  The effort
required to make sure we study hard enough to pass with an 80% would be
certainly worth it, to me anyway, to have recognized licensing, and the
benefits thereof, be a result of the test.  Might mean I have to wait another
year or so to take the test, but isn't it worth the effort to make sure that
we, and our colleagues, know our stuff before we get really into the thick of
things?
I believe that this would give a bit more credibility to our profession, and
make us more desireable to Ins co, hospitals, Dr's and the public in general.
Just my .02!

Jay

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