Mary and Ellen, and others...
 
    With all due respect, we have been down the  RN/non-RN IBCLC discussion 
before.  I personally can respect both of your  opinions because I exist on 
both sides of the fence.  I became an RN after  I had been an LLL Leader for 15 
years, and an IBCLC for 10.  Most of my  impetus was because an LC without RN 
experience can barely get herself  hired in any hospital in the State of 
Florida.  Now that I have my RN, I  can say that I learned much more about the human 
body, and hospital politics,  but what I learned about lactation could barely 
fill a page in a text.  The  woman who did the breastfeeding demo for a 60 
person class that was mostly  impressionable females in their 20s taught it like 
it would have been taught 20  years ago.  Baby with butt on the lap, touch 
baby's cheek with nipple so  they turn, hold down your breast so baby can 
breathe!  I was soooo upset  that I corrected her in front of the group, but I 
couldn't help myself.   All of her information was poor and antiquated.  Our text 
was at least 10  years out of date on lactation info.  Nursing school did not 
occur 10  years ago.  I just completed RN licensure in April, 2005.   Perhaps 
the place for Lactation professionals to infiltrate is the  lactation component 
of OB programs for local nursing schools, and educating  hospital 
administrators about the specifics of IBCLC credentials, and perhaps  why that credential 
would more specific for a Lactation Specialist than  just anyone with an RN?
 
    By the way, those of you who are thinking about  getting an RN.  Think 
twice.  It is a tough program to complete with  work and family.  Now that I 
have my RN, I am getting the "overqualified"  line and one local hospital cut me 
out of the interview process entirely just by  claiming that they have the 
right to decide "what type of person" is conducive  for their environment, and 
they are seeking other candidates.  There is  more to this than raw talent.  
Hospital politics are alive and well on  those OB floors, and there is often a 
mentality to keep the enthusiastic types  out.  I would have more luck if I was 
a 24 year old with two years of  experience in a podiatrist's office.  We have 
a long way to go before our  credentials are respected--at least in my area.
     

Debbie  Albert, RN, Ph.D., LMHC, IBCLC, RLC
Tampa Lactation Counseling
Tampa,  FL 


             ***********************************************

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(R)
mailer for lightning fast mail delivery. For more information, go to:
http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html