Good morning.  Since this is my first post here (though been reading a while) I 
would like to briefly introduce myself.  I am a newly certified IBCLC working as 
a labor nurse at a small community hospital.  The whole reason I began 
studying breastfeeding in the first place is b/c another hospital I worked at 
was EXTREMELY breastfeeding UNfriendly and regularly--and without remorse--
would give bottles without permission, did not have an IBCLC on staff and the 
nurses were expected to fill that role.  Because I felt unprepared to help 
patients in that capacity, I started taking classes and so here I am.  As a 
hospital employee I do represent their interests, but I also want to act as a 
patient advocate to ensure that this type of thing does not happen.

Let's face it.  Giving a bottle/formula without permission and without a 
bonafide medical indication is absolutely against hospital policy in probably 
every hospital (but definitely every hospital I have ever worked at).  IF THIS 
IS TRUE, WHY WOULD IT EVER HAPPEN????  

I have foreseen problems like this previously spoken with managers/educators 
about the need to educate our nurses more.  Having recently undergone some 
major changes at our hospital it is fair to say that this hasn't been a priority.  

The reason I am posting this here, now, is because I want to take as much 
information to the administration as possible to express the gravity of the 
(hypothetical) situation.  

First I would like to know if a hospital has ever been sued, or settled 
over "just one bottle" given without permission.  If you have those details or 
articles, they would be really helpful.

Second, what literature/research could possibly be used against the hospital.  
I think hospitals should understand the legality of what they are up against.  
Just because they have been lucky enough not to have experienced litigation 
regarding these issues does not mean it will always be the case.  If they 
understood the gravity of the injury to the patient, or at least understood the 
legal dangers that may loom ahead for them personally or as an institution, 
perhaps breastfeeding education for OB nurses will one day be treated with 
the same seriousness as maintaining a current CPR or NRP certification.

If you could please forward any citations and full articles if possible to me at 
[log in to unmask], I would really appreciate it.  I will be putting it all 
together in a package to take to my managers ASAP this week.  Time is of the 
essence.

TIA,

JoAnne Palmer, RN, BSN, IBCLC

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