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Lactation Information and Discussion <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Sun, 21 Jun 1998 12:39:11 -0400
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I have been thinking about why hospital LC's are RN's, and it occurs to
me that many hospitals did not set out to hire LC's in the past.

 In New York State, for example, in 1985 the department of health
required that each hospital have one person designated as "lactation
coordinator" who had specialized knowledge of breastfeeding and was
responsible for implementing an effective breastfeeding program.
Hospitals picked one of the nurses to fill this role, whether she had
expertise or not, so they could tell the state they were in compliance.
(Many of these early designees have become very knowledgable and are
leaders in the field today.  However, some only held the title.)

Today, many hospital LC-positions are parttime, and the person also
functions as a staff nurse.  In hospitals where the LC position is her
sole responsibility, I bet hospitals never gave any thought to a non-RN
in the position.

Perhaps, as a new profession, the Lactation Consultant is just beginning
to get recognition in the institutions as a separate field of expertise.

Barb Berges  BS, RN, IBCLC
Rochester, New York

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