I've been interested in the RN vs. non-RN IBCLC's in the hospital issue
because I've been ranting at my own institution lately.  One of our LPN's
passed the exam this last year and we've been trying to get her a pay
differential for when she works as an LC.  It was my contention that since
they pay the rest of us (who are RN's) the same RN wage for working as
LC's, and since she's doing the same job and has the same LACTATION
credential as we do, she ought to get at least the low range of the RN pay
scale.  (Personally, I think there ought to be a separate lactation pay
scale.)  Well, I gave them my best argument and the "Standards of Practice"
booklet to read and they have ended up giving her what I consider a
*pittance* as a pay differential.  She'll be lucky if she can pay her
membership dues in ILCA with the extra.

So those of you who are "higher up" in the field of lactation, tell
me--what the heck do we have to do to get this recognized by institutions
as a separate profession???  I'm an old NICU nurse and have also worked
newborn nursery, but when I wanted to return to work after my last child I
held out until a lactation consultant position was finally approved.  Even
though the job description I wrote back then did not specify any credential
except IBCLC, the personnel dept. insisted into plugging me into the RN pay
scale.  I have not worked as an RN in the 7 years since I was hired as an
LC, but my current colleagues who have studied, mentored, and taken the
exam continue to work part-time as nurses and part-time as LC's.  I think
this practice blurs the distinction between the roles and does the
profession a disservice, IMO.

Becky Krumwiede, RN (still licensed but no longer competent), IBCLC
Appleton, Wisconsin
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