Nikki says,

> :
>      I heard, but never saw in print, that the highest scores back when the
> IBCLE exam started, were to LLLL folks. I don't know that that has
> sustained
> over the years.
>
Keep in mind that the first exam, 1985 was given before there were
wide-spread education programs.  (Not that there are enough now, but
certainly in 1985 there were only two or three.)  UCLA had not yet taken
their program "on the road" so to speak, BSC's home study program was just
getting under way, and there may have been one or two others out there.
Texts were:  Counseling the Nursing Mother, Lawrence, Riordan, and Neville &
Neifert.  Most everyone who took the exam in the first three or four years
were people that did it with self study.  In 1987, I completed BSC's home
study program -- I was their 5th graduate at that time.  UCLA took their
program on the road for the first time -- it was in Naperville, IL -- and I
took that as well along with Mary Kay -- gosh, how long ago that seems.

My point is (I do have one :>D) is that in the early days, LLL Leaders had
far more education and good experience in lactation management than anyone
else because they had been taught by LLL, and RNs and many others were taking
the exam after much extensive self study.  The people that took the exam in
the early years were the pioneers.   Some of those pioneers didn't actually
take the exam -- but were on the first board that developed the exam.

I'm not sure we can compare the exam takers of the first four exams to the
exam takers of the last four exams.  I'd venture to say that in the U.S. at
least, the vast majority of people who take the exam take at least a 3-6 day
course as well as self study.  There are more lactation consultants in
hospitals who are teaching (by example, hopefully) more RNs who then take a
course, study, and take the exam.

So while LLL Leaders probably did do better than RNs in the first exam (I'd
love to know the breakdown of RNs to LLL Leaders in the first four years),
I'm not sure that is still the case.  It might be -- but I don't know for
sure, and I don't think it is dreadfully useful to speculate.

One of the strengths of the profession is that we bring a wide range of
backgrounds to the profession.  We teach mothers from different perspectives.
 We know different things.  Some are stronger in counseling; some in the
"Nancy Drew" diagnosis realm; some in figuring out the right treatment; some
in hands-on; some in hands-off.  I would hate to see the profession turn into
an all RN/IBCLC profession -- I would just as much hate to see it turn into
an all LLL/IBCLC profession.  What I would like to see is it turn into an
IBCLC profession with its own university/college track; not an adjunct to
something else.

Jan Barger, RN, MA, IBCLC -- Wheaton IL
Lactation Education Consultants
www.lactationeducationconsultants.com

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