LACTNET Archives

Lactation Information and Discussion

LACTNET@COMMUNITY.LSOFT.COM

Options: Use Forum View

Use Monospaced Font
Show Text Part by Default
Show All Mail Headers

Message: [<< First] [< Prev] [Next >] [Last >>]
Topic: [<< First] [< Prev] [Next >] [Last >>]
Author: [<< First] [< Prev] [Next >] [Last >>]

Print Reply
Subject:
From:
Carol Chamblin <[log in to unmask]>
Reply To:
Lactation Information and Discussion <[log in to unmask]>
Date:
Mon, 15 Sep 2003 17:42:50 EDT
Content-Type:
text/plain
Parts/Attachments:
text/plain (52 lines)
I'm really enjoying the discussion centered on ethics and the sale/rental of
products.  Our profession is indeed young and it's only through discussing the
pros and cons that we can develop our future professional ethics.

But, if the future direction takes on the view that selling of equipment is
unethical, then there will be a lot of hospital-based lactation programs that
will need to stop offering the sale & rental of breastpumps.

After birth is a very vulnerable time for a woman to decide whether or not
she wants to rent the pump that the nurse or LC has given her and told her she
needs.   It wasn't very often when I used to work in the hospital setting that
a woman even questioned me as to where else she could get her pump or told me
she was going to check pricing elsewhere.  I had to rent her the pump for
$10-$15 more than other resources in the community and couldn't say a word to
inform her.

And, the sale of bras will also have to stop...I really felt unethical
fitting women for nursing bras at the hospital when I used to have to do that part
of my job.  I didn't feel it was the proper time or place to be fitting bras.
It was, and still is, my primary goal to assist women to breastfeed.

And, mind you, if the hospital-based LCs no longer offer the rental or sale
of breastpumps, I'm willing to bet that many hospitals will say that they can't
afford to staff the units with the current number of LCs.

So, if we internally criticize each other, not that anyone here is, I think
this has been a fine discussion, but if we remain mindful that if we create
certain restrictions on our ethical scope of practice, then we may also be biting
off our own tongues in relation to many services being offered at hospitals
based in the U.S.

Sorry, I'm speaking on behalf of the U.S. and am aware that this doesn't
apply to other countries.  But, I also will not speak on behalf of other countries
since I don't consider my source of information to be first-hand knowledge,
and therefore my comments would not be deemed respectful.

Carol Chamblin, RN, MS, IBCLC
Breast 'N Baby Lactation Services, Inc.
St. Charles, IL

             ***********************************************

To temporarily stop your subscription: set lactnet nomail
To start it again: set lactnet mail (or digest)
To unsubscribe: unsubscribe lactnet
All commands go to [log in to unmask]

The LACTNET mailing list is powered by L-Soft's renowned
LISTSERV(R) list management software together with L-Soft's LSMTP(TM)
mailer for lightning fast mail delivery. For more information, go to:
http://www.lsoft.com/LISTSERV-powered.html

ATOM RSS1 RSS2