Nancy said and Ann quoted,
"I agree, except all the doctor has to do is to make the case that the
LC is, in his/her opinion, "harming" his patients or the doctor-patient
relationship."
In truth, a doctor doesn't even have to "make the case", as that implies
proving something. No, a doctor only has to say or infer this with the
assertion that they don't agree with what the LC says and, as I've
stated in previous posts, they don't have to *prove* a darn thing! They
say it and that settles it.
Ann responded,
"It sounds like if a patient requested other services that a physician
does not care for, they would be either denied these services or the LC
who saw the patient could lose their job. I some time sense these
feeling at work that the physician is always correct and anyone daring
to contradict what they say could be in jeopardy of their job."
I DID lose my job under just these circumstances. Not a darn thing was
proven. I even had a letter of support for my information from Dr. Jay
Gordon and a personal letter of support from Dr. James McKenna. It
didn't matter. The CNO who heard my grievance told me I had some
powerful friends (I had other letters from local people as well) but in
the end, the administration circles the wagons around their most
powerful members (physicians and department managers who kowtow to them)
and leaves the paean LC in the dust, licking her wounds, wondering what
she did wrong! When it comes to doctors, they get a blank check in the
present environment. It takes more money and power than they have
(which of course we don't have) to win any kind of dispute with them.
I'm sorry if I sound angry, but the current situation is intolerable and
has deprived me and others I know and many I don't know but have heard
from, of our livelihood. My husband and I are struggling financially as
a result of me doing my job. Nothing more. Nothing less. I still
assert that this amounts to discrimination and I hope we see the status
of IBCLC's gain ground in the coming years, but I have begun to believe
that private practice is the wave of the future for us as hospitals cave
to big-money-driven physicians and others in lieu of providing a service
that moms want and need. It is happening all over the country. I have
had to settle for finding behind-the-scenes ways of exacting a price
from my former employer for their misconduct, which I have done. I am
looking for, and would welcome, any opportunities for bettering the
status of LC's and requiring hospitals and physicians to observe best
practice standards.
My final word is this, we preach about the importance of research on our
practice -and it is vital- but it is doing us little good with many
physicians who simply dismiss it with "I don't believe it!" That kind
of arrogance makes me sick, but it is what we are dealing with. We
simply must keep looking for additional ways to support moms (private
practice is one important strategy I believe) and advance our
profession. I fully realize that change comes slowly but there really
is NO EXCUSE for physicians and facilities to ignore research because it
doesn't support what they do!
Oh, if only every physician were as open to breastfeeding research as
Nancy Wight!
Marsha, who is feeling 10 shades of frustration at this point!
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~Marsha Glass RN, BSN, IBCLC~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Mothers have as powerful an influence over the welfare of future
generations as all other earthly causes combined.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~John S. C. Abbot~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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