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Subject:
From:
D&HFrancis <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
Lactation Information and Discussion <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Tue, 3 Oct 2000 21:15:19 -0600
Content-Type:
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Hang in there!
Change comes slowly, but we, at least,  have found that change does come.
It helps to maintain a sense of humor (I, too, consider being called the
BOOBOLOGIST - thanks for the new title,  LACTOSAURUS,  MILK MAID, SUCTATION
NURSE, whatever,..... a compliment.   I, personally, choose to deal with the
issue at hand, and refuse to take personal offense over unfounded individual
biases.

 Gentle staff (and manager) education that is research-based, and a
willingness to be there when needed is critical.  I never go see a mom in
NICU that I don't take the baby's nurse with me and show her what I am doing
and letting her hear what I have told the mother.  We all need to be saying
the same thing to the same mom.  Listening to suggestions or complaints from
parents, staff and physicians and making an effort to respond to them is
important.  It may not be as threatening as it sounds.  None of us can
please everybody all the time, and I have had my share of complaints from
neonatologists, nurses and parents.

However, I think an honest effort to address those issues should be made and
a report given to the person who complained.  In other words, we found that
addressing  the issue (not the personality) calmly and doing whatever can be
done to resolve it has made a difference little by little.

We started our county-wide program which encompasses five hospitals about 5
years ago with just two of us.   There was tremendous resistance, outright
hostility and skeptisicm when we started.  However, patient satisfaction
zoomed upward, which made managers sit up and take notice.

There are now 14 of us taking care of lactation issues for the county and I
am finally responsible for  only NICU, and the 5 people who help me
part-time.  We are as busy as we could possibly be and have a pretty good
working relationship with MOST of our peers.

 Except, NOW we have doctors complaining that they can't get hold of us fast
enough, there aren't enough of us, etc. etc.  Nurses are upset if we don't
see EVERY patient on the floor, moms have a nervous breakdown if it takes a
few hours to respond to their phone calls, and I have six or seven messages
from moms or nurses on my answering machine in NICU every time I do a
lactation shift.  AAACK!  I don't know which is worse!

 I am also called upon to help with breastfeeding issues even when I am
working a nursing shift in NICU.   The other nurses plead with me to help
their moms breastfeed, in exchange for changing my IV's, getting my labs or
X-rays, etc.  It is often inconvenient and stress-producing but I am not
about to endanger the good will that we now have by refusing.

Another thing which seems to have helped a lot is to stay away from really
controversial issues when  starting a new program.  It is hard enough to get
support for the basic stuff we all know is important without adding a lot of
things which raise eyebrows and hackles all over the place.

Well, just my $.02 worth, but the struggle really was worth it when JCAHO
singled the lactation program out for highest praise.  Hallelujah!  We all
thought we had really arrived.

Empathizing with those of you starting new programs.
Deanne, R.N.  IBCLC
NICU

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