Hi All,

I think that Pat's notion about the "know it all attitude" is a frequent
byproduct of the training process of physicians today.  It seems that bedside
manner doesn't have the importance it did once and the technical skills aspect
has superceded attitude in this regard - to the detriment of patients.  I'd
be/am personally happier with an HCP with a good (approachable) attitude who
said that they would feel more comfortable checking on a med or a symptom etc.
than someone who comes from a position of arrogance and "of course I know
that" when that may not be the case.  Perhaps we as consumers  have over the
years changed the MD to "medical deity" and in our expectations, made a
profession to heavy with the power we have given to them.  If we want better
attitudes, then we had better seek out the physicians that have them so that
will become, once again, a valued criteria for a med school candidate.  Other
wise we will continue to have people drawn to the medical community who are
more technical/interventionist than people oriented.  A problem that appears
to be consumer caused...
As consumers we employee physicians as well as lawyers and CPAs because they
know more about various issues than we do.  That does not absolve us of
responsibilty to learn as much as we can about the issues that pertain to us
so that we can be a part of a team approach to problems of any sort in our
lives.  Guess it comes down to nobody can take advantage of us without our
permission.  We need to empower one another and cooperate in trying to fix
problem in lactation as well as in any other field.  Guess we just need to
keep plugging along one at a time doing a competent job and the results will
beget more acceptance and cooperation and respect for our very young field.

Off the soap box I never intended to get up on...
Gretchen Andrews, BA, LLLL, IBCLC
private practice, Redlands, CA