I can't help getting into this discussion. There are, and have been for
many years, multiple certifications for any group--childbirth educators,
nurses, physicians, etc., so I think we are just starting to see this
happen with the lactation consultants. I don't think it's good or bad; it's
just the nature of how things evolve.
Relatively few people know the meaning of any of the alphabet soup after my
name, so I've gradually used less and less. Few of *you* would know what I
have done to "earn" the whatevers behind my name.
I've got initials I've never used. I don't think the public, or other
professionals for that matter, know what is involved in sitting for any of
these exams, or getting any of these credentials. We've all seen good MDs
and bad MDs and good CPAs and bad CPAs and good CFPs and everything else.
So passing the exam doesn't attest to the person's goodness or badness. If
the issue is educating others about the level of expertise of that
person--which I think was Jan's main point--then I personally don't rely on
the person's credentials. The *best* source of information, in my opinion,
is other people's impressions about this person's ability to provide
high-quality care, advice, plumbing, landscaping, or whatever. I'm fairly
outcome oriented, I guess.
My main message is: The problem "understanding" the certified expert is not
secular to the lactation community, and the problem of multiple certifying
bodies is not secular to the lactation community. You'll never be able to
educate the consumer about all of the requirements and credentials of
provider. But you'll never be able to fool them about that person's
competence, either.
>Theresa says,
>
><< I can't help but feel a little uneasy putting CLC behind my name. I
> may not be "board certified" but I have several years of counseling and
> clinical work under my belt. I know IBCLC's who ask me questions and one's
> who go to consultations with every intervention known to women fully
> intending to use them all. >>
>
>But Theresa, what does CLC mean? I don't mean to pick on you -- and I'm not
>going to, but this is a major problem for the public and for others. Exactly
>what does CLC mean? Or CLE? or CLS? Or a myriad of other intials that are
>out there. How does anyone, especially the public, know what this person has
>done to "earn" the CLC? Or CLE? Or C...whatever.
>
>In many cases it means you went to a 18-45 hour (more or less) program --
>maybe there was an exam at the end; maybe not. Maybe there was homework;
>maybe not. Maybe there was followup clinical; maybe not. Whatever else we
>know about the person with an IBCLC, we know that she/he has at minimum, 30
>hours of didactic education, at minimum, 2500 breastfeeding consultancy hours
>(and lets not get into "well I know someone who never touched a breast &
>passed the IBLCE -- BTDT), and passed a criterion-referenced, rigorous, 6
>hour exam that was put together by a team of experts from around the world,
>and moderated by a psychometrician. There may be problems with the IBLCE
>exam - there are problems with nursing boards, there are problems with
>medical & dental boards, problems with cosmetology boards. We will not have
>a perfect exam or setup for exam -- not in our lifetime. But at least the
>public can be aware that there are certain criteria that the person with the
>IBCLC has passed...
>
>Furthermore, if an IBCLC is guilty of malpractice there are routes to go to
>have that person investigated. I don't know of anyplace to go if a person
>that has a CLE or CLS or CLC or whatever gives lactation advice that harms a
>baby or a mother unless it is to the courts. And are there safeguards around
>those initials that means the person HAS to obtain continuing education to
>maintain certification -- or is it once certified always certified?
>
>So for those that have the consultancy hours and the didactic hours, why not
>take the board exam?
>
>Putting on my flame-retardant suit and waiting for the fireballs....
>Jan Barger, RN, MA, IBCLC -- proud to have once sat on the IBLCE board which
>gave me an entirely different perspective on this process.
>
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--
Marie Biancuzzo
Perinatal Clinical Nurse Specialist
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Resources to simplify breastfeeding management are available at
http://www.wmc-worldwide.com
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