<< I know nurses have the same 'not enough time'
 problem WIC nutritionists have because of budget cuts & now even busier
 schedules  >>

phyllis is correct, most nurses don't have the time to adequately do their
jobs. despite being a critic of hospital procedures and actions (not having
enough time does not adequately excuse dangerously anti-mother, anti-baby,
anti-breastfeeding protocols, what phyllis describes is the norm around
here), i know that this IS a large part of the problem. BUT i think that
using this as part of the explanation for inadequate care is a way of not
acknowledging what this really means.

if a patient is put in jeopardy (and i DO think that breastfeeding failure is
putting patients in jeopardy, of course) due to a staff member having
inadequate time, THEN that staff member is performing in an unethical manner.
rather than slighting patients in order to meet the expectations of
management, nurses or whoever should be constantly pointing out that if their
JOB is not done correctly, then patients are put in jeopardy. how can people
continue to work in a job environment where they are not performing in an
ethical manner?

this would, of course, mean that "everyone" had to believe that breastfeeding
was important and not just an option. you know, like "death" is a bad outcome
and "not dying" is more than just an option. and "everyone" would have to
believe that procedures involved in supporting breastfeeding take a certain
amount of time and can not be rushed. and "everyone" would recognize that
lactation consultants are not just a little bit of extra added on to RN and
that someone should not be LCing in merely the spare time left over from
RNing.

perhaps its because nurses amd LCs are usually women. woman are SO
accomodating, SO helpful, SO eager to please everyone and be a team player,
get the job done, soldier on despite more and more difficulties put in their
way. when they can't get something done, its common to say "i would have
liked to do more, but you know what's it like."

i DO know what it's like. ask any surgeon in any hospital if they can do more
surgeries in a day, shorten the time of every operation, etc., and i doubt
that you would find a single one who would agree. why? because the OUTCOME
would be unacceptable. funny how we think that "not breastfeeding" is an
acceptable outcome - because its an "option," of course. its a "choice." but,
if you are an LC, particularly an IBCLC, then you should probably not be
operating with the mindset that breastfeeding is a "choice" that someone may
or may not make. in the same way that "using carseats" is not a "choice" for
someone leaving the hospital with a baby, the most appropriate health choice
(breastfeeding) should not be viewed as an option by those who are
advocating/teaching/promoting healthy mothers and babies.

and blaming it on management, while convenient, won't do much good as long as
those who do the work are continuing to do it under inappropriate conditions.

carol brussel IBCLC

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