As HCP, do we have a responsibility to report to child services this type of interaction? I dont know,but it seems like there is potential for harm. On Fri, Apr 6, 2018, 10:18 AM Sonya Myles <[log in to unmask]> wrote: > I hesitate to get into this conversation, it has the potential to blow up > into a really heated argument, and that is not my intention at all. I just > wanted to bring in a harm reduction viewpoint. > > I am going to use myself as an example. I am overweight, to a point that > it actually does affect my health. I don't look massively overweight, but I > am carrying an extra 20 to 30 pounds on a smaller frame, and my back hurts > more when I carry this extra weight. I know that I should eat a healthy > diet, and exercise more. I know I should avoid junk food, and yet, some > days, the junk food is calling and I find it too hard to not answer. The > other day someone brought in doughnuts to work. By the end of a crazy busy > shift with no real breaks, and many complicated cases, I had eaten my way > through 3 of them. 3 doughnuts in one day.... what was I thinking? I know > all the stuff I should be doing, and for the most part I try and do it. I > have all the intellectual knowledge, and then I have my real life. > > We know that people use drugs and medication for different effects. > Telling them we don't agree with what they are doing isn't actually going > to change behaviour. On that busy shift at work, if you had come between me > and those doughnuts... I would not have been a nice person. I know what I > should be doing, but don't tell me what I can be doing. > > I know, telling them that they can go ahead won't change behaviour either, > and I am not suggesting that at all. I am suggesting we provide information > on what the reasons are we would not recommend taking these drugs, and then > the information that if a person decides to take those drugs, how to take > them as safely as possible. It really is about harm reduction. People have > the right to chose how to live their lives, and unless they are harming > another individual, I don't know if it is our "right" as health care > providers to judge them. > > In this case there is a baby involved, but the mother did approach a HCP > for help in being able to take these drugs safely in the context of pumping > and breastmilk feeding. While I may not applaud her actions in taking the > drugs, I will stand up and cheer that she is responsible enough to ask for > information on how to keep her baby safe while she does take them. I am > impressed that she braved the health care system which does tend to be a > bit "holier than thou" and preachy when it comes to lifestyle choices. I am > a bit of an oddity in the health care system, I am not sure I always agree > with what western medicine does, and Lord knows, enough baby boys die each > year due to complications from circumcision that we really shouldn't > believe everything we say. But I digress. > > It's a hard line to find, not endorsing destructive behaviour, but > ensuring harm reduction and health promotion at the same time. I can tell > you though, that at the end of that shift, if someone had lectured me about > eating those 3 doughnuts, I would have simply made a mental note to avoid > that person in the future. But if someone has said, hey, want to come on a > digestive walk with me around the hospital, I would have said, "Yes > please!". I don't need people to judge me for my actions, I need people to > understand that my life is multifaceted and complicated to the nth degree. > I am pretty sure that everyone's life is like that. When people approach us > for help in unusuall circumstances, that we may or may not agree with on a > personal or even professional level, our correct response should be > education and harm reduction, vs. judging and preaching. Joy Noel Weiss, > who I miss dearly, always used to tell me, "walk softly with a big stick". > > Sonya > who is still learning about walking softly, the big stick thing she had > figured out in JK > and who is so very grateful for the information provided by Shaland, who > reminded me that it is about harm reduction, because yes, my first response > was also to scoff at medicinal reasons for LSD... > > *********************************************** > > Archives: http://community.lsoft.com/archives/LACTNET.html > To reach list owners: [log in to unmask] > Mail all list management commands to: [log in to unmask] > COMMANDS: > 1. To temporarily stop your subscription write in the body of an email: > set lactnet nomail > 2. To start it again: set lactnet mail > 3. To unsubscribe: unsubscribe lactnet > 4. To get a comprehensive list of rules and directions: get lactnet welcome > *********************************************** Archives: http://community.lsoft.com/archives/LACTNET.html To reach list owners: [log in to unmask] Mail all list management commands to: [log in to unmask] COMMANDS: 1. To temporarily stop your subscription write in the body of an email: set lactnet nomail 2. To start it again: set lactnet mail 3. To unsubscribe: unsubscribe lactnet 4. To get a comprehensive list of rules and directions: get lactnet welcome