There are quite a few of us who are non RN, IBCLCs who are employed in the
hospital setting. I've been in a hospital since 1993, not the same hospital
though. Our risk management people assure me that my IBCLC and the standards
of practice from ILCA are what my competencies and scope of practice are
based on, and they stand by me as well as they stand by the RN who works
anywhere in the hospital.
I also carry malpractice insurance on my own. As a LLL Leader we are covered
by malpractice insurance as well as long as we are basing our counseling on
LLL approved reference materials. LLL has a Professional Liaison Department
as well as Medical Advisory Board who carefully check all our printed
materials for accuracy and standards of care before they are printed and
published. LLL is very careful about this...much more than many of the
booklets and handouts I see written and distributed by hospitals, private
practice LCs and health departments. I'm more concerned about someone who
works as a Peer Counselor or WIC "nutritionist" giving breastfeeding advice
who has attended a five day, two day or whatever course that allows them to
call themselves "lactation counselor". We could debate this all day and
night, knowing that we could never come to any real conclusion. I know plenty
of new grad RNs who know way less than I do about diabetes, postpartum
hemorrhage, infant development, and so on but they have those magic letters
after their name and I don't. Please don't think I don't respect them (the
letters or the people) but experience counts for something and I think that
is a question they ask in court.
Mary Kay Smith, IBCLC
Romeoville IL near Chicago

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