Toni,
Kuddos!!! Residents have a hard time understanding anything unless you
show them a "need to know". Here's one way: (1) there were about five
questions on the Family Practice Board exam this last time on
breastfeeding, and about five more that were closely related; (2) most FP
residents hope to practice in an "upper-middle-class" private practice when
they get out, regardless of whether that's urban or rural. These are the
patients most likely to breastfeed. Studies show that most healthcare
decisions for an entire family are made by the mother, so it behooves them
for the sake of feeding their own kids in the future, to learn about and be
supportive of breastfeeding.
Regarding the curriculum itself:
The interns have a four-hour workshop that's part didactic, part
interactive on breastfeeding (required), in which they learn the risks of
artificial feeding (the common and the lesser-known), the basics of how to
evaluate latch, how to tell baby's getting enough, the common problems and
treatments, how to read Tom Hale's book, the difference between various
types of breastpumps, etc. This also gives them some info on LC's and what
they do.
Since we have such a large WIC patient pouplation and WIC in our state is
really pushing breastfeeding, a fair number of our clinic patients
breastfeed (about 30%), so they get some exposure in continuity clinic.
Then there's the elective rotation they can do with me as second or
third-year residents. A whole month of seeing consults in my clinic,
reading, interactive computer modules, etc. Have a resident doing this in
December!
Hope this helps,
Becky Saenz, MD, IBCLC
Assistant Professor of Family Medicine
Assistant FP Residency Director
Univ of MS Med Ctr
Jackson, MS
At 08:33 PM 10/26/99 -0400, you wrote:
>Dear Lactnetters:
>
>
>I’m so glad you all brought up how much education physicians receive about
>lactation and breastfeeding. I have a request. I’m an RN and new IBCLC
>(still in a state of shock!) in a hospital based program. Last year our
>hospital started a family practice residency program. At some time during
>there OB or NICU rotation it is "suggested" that they go on rounds with me.
>If they have the time or interest they spend some time in our out pt clinic.
>Here’s my dilemma; unfortunately not all residents are enlightened soul and
>do not understand the importance of breastfeeding. They can always find
>excuses to ditch me. Others are disappointed that they get so little time
>with our department. This brings me to my request which is two fold. Would
>any of you who currently work with a residency program share how it was
>implemented, what are the requirements i.e.: how long they work with you, is
>it a separate rotation and so on. The second part of my request is for you
>Doc.s. What do you feel is important for these new physicians to learn? How
>much time do you feel would be beneficial to them? How should I approach
>the powers to be at our institute ( some physicians are still having a hard
>time with the CNMs teaching the residents let alone an RN even with a whole
>bunch of new letters after my name!)
>
>Thanks for your help
>
>Toni Leitzinger RN IBCLC
>Sunny but not so warm Florida
>
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