Esther says,
<< Jan says:
  <<So you have someone take a one week course and she qualifies to sit
 for the exam>>
  I am one of THOSE  R.N.'s , I took Linda Smith's and collegues one week
 course and I "perused" all the recommended reading, if I remember it
 took about two months plus, and I sat the exam and was proud of my
 accomplishment, right  up to reading your post.
  Just what do you want me to do?. I don't intentionally give bad
 information. I continue to read and attened conferences etc. I look for
 conferences that would advance my learning. >>

Hey -- so I was one of those RNs too, though back when I originally sat for
the exam, there were no requirements as it was in the true neonatal stage of
development.  And I had had 16 years experience working with bf moms & babes
in a variety of maternal-child health settings.  I took the BSC home study
course which took over a year, and then I took the UCLA one week course.  And
passed the exam.  And as I went into real "practice" was absolutely APPALLED
at what I didn't know and couldn't do.  But over the past 10+  years since
sitting the exam, I've learned a lot, continue to learn, and hopefully, I'm a
whole lot better with moms I see now than moms that I saw in 1987.

My concern is not with the RNs that take a one week wonder course -- after
all, there aren't too many other kinds out there, especially in the U.S.
There are 1-day wonder courses (to which I object mightily), there are 2 and 3
and 4 and 5 and even 6 day courses.  None of them are comprehensive, none can
totally prepare someone to sit for the exam, although the longer the course,
and the more geared the course is towards preparing someone to BE an IBCLC,
not just take a test, IMHO, the better it is.   What it means is that I expect
that someone who discovers that she has been teaching incorrectly for 20 years
will mentor with an IBCLC (hopefully a GOOD one), and get some good experience
under her belt before sitting the exam.  And once she does sit the exam, that
she will take every opportunity available to learn, learn, learn...that she
will not rest on her IBCLC laurels, but will continue to read and contribute
to Lactnet, that she will attend and participate in conferences -- not there
aren't many "advanced practice" conferences, but a new IBCLC isn't ready for
"advanced practice" and an 'old' IBCLC who doesn't get SOMETHING out of a
"basic" conference, isn't listening.  There is ALWAYS something that can be
learned from someone -- people do things differently, and the willingness to
change your practice based on evidence and learning from others is what will
make the difference between a good IBCLC and a mediocre one.  I run into
IBCLCs constantly who still don't understand that you can't wake a newborn
from a deep sleep and get him to breastfeed; who will not ask the docs to
postpone a circ on a poorly bf male infant, who still insist that if it has
been 3 hours that the baby MUST be fed; if it won't bf, then give formula --
despite the fact there is no evidence of problems, and the baby has bf 4 times
already in the first 13 hours of life and will most likely bf another 2 to 3
times in the next 11 hours of life, even if he does take a 4 hour
break....that are still packing the breasts in hot compresses for 15 minutes
prior to a feed for engorgement, despite evidence that heat increases blood
flow to the breast, thereby increasing fluid to an already fluid overloaded
breast; who will recommend bottle feeding using X bottle nipple "because it is
most like mother's breast" (pardon ME?), and who will NOT change practice, nor
attend conferences, nor attend local ILCA affiliate meetings, nor confer with
colleagues.... THOSE are the people to whom I am referring who take a 1 week
course, sit the exam, pass it, and then claim to be an IBCLC, but never
change.

They know who they are.  And you know who you are -- and if you fit these
parameters.  I suspect if you are on Lactnet, and are participating and
contributing, you don't.  You are learning, and hopefully changing your
practice when appropriate based on what you are learning.....  Keep up the
good work!!!

And for those of you who think the parameters for  education of IBCLCs need to
be changed, you need to contact the IBLCE and the ILCA Education Committee --
Course Director's Task Force -- with your ideas.

Jan Barger