In a message dated 2.6.03 7:35:48 PM, Nancy writes: > I am not defending healthcare providers who do not keep current (but I > do know surgeons who don't use the latest techniques and > gastroenterologists who think breastfeeding is a "fad"), but we all > can't keep up with everything. I don't read the articles about > endocrine disease, or renal disease, or outpatient pediatrics. I even > rely on my partners when it comes to the best ventilator or newest > medications, as they rely on me for nutrition issues. We need to educate > enough physicians to "plant" one (like the ones here on > Lactnet) in each NICU and Pediatric, FP and Ob-Gyn practice round the > world! > A dream come true! However, so many physicians see themselves as *the holders of the keys* when it comes to health care that there is little incentive for them to change......perhaps what we should realistically strive for is a NNP (neonatal nurse practitioner)/IBCLC in every NICU, a CNM/IBCLC in every OB group, a RD/IBCLC .......... Jennifer also writes; >>Add to this a general feeling of disdain for non-physician health care providers (nurses, physical therapists, lactation consultants, dieticians, etc.) that many physicians seem to feel and you have someone with a lot of power in the medical field with very little knowledge, and often very little willingness to defer to someone who does. I'm not sure where this disdain comes from<<< beautifully and bravely said, Jennifer! I think that it comes, at least partly, from *some* MDs height up on that pedestal! To accept input from someone that they view as less educated (ie. less intelligent!) is too much of a blow to their egos. Also, as an RN/LC, I have found the business of interacting with MDs in such a way as to stroke their egos in order accomplish what needs to be done to be an *exhaustive process*, especially in the hospital setting and much more so than when I was *just* an RN . Nikki Lee wrote; >>Go Barbara, go! And anybody else that has a chance to talk about the cost savings of bf to a cash-poor community, city, state, or nation. One might also mention that the CEOs of the HMOs and insurance companies would probably rake in another million or so a year if babies were breastfeed according to AAP policy, and the companies weren't paying out so much to take care of diseases in mothers, babies and children.<< Since the almighty dollar is the ultimate change agent, perhaps we *should* redirect some of our efforts towards enlisting the support of the insurance industry and leave it more to them to *enlighten* the MD community. Lynn Shea Rn,Bsn,Ibclc Franklin,Massachusetts *********************************************** To temporarily stop your subscription: set lactnet nomail To start it again: set lactnet mail (or digest) To unsubscribe: unsubscribe lactnet All commands go to [log in to unmask] The LACTNET mailing list is powered by L-Soft's renowned LISTSERV(R) list management software together with L-Soft's LSMTP(TM) mailer for lightning fast mail delivery. For more information, go to: http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html