Jay describes a situation where someone may have knowledge of someone who
fudged on an application to become a candidate for the exam.  It may help to
know that the IBLCE staff carefully processes each application to weed out
bogus applications, and that periodically, random audits are preformed on a
percentage of applications.  This means that all the people who submit
letters of reference are personally called to verify that they actually
supervised those hours.  So there are some checks in the system.  However,
artful dodgers can find ways to circumnavigate the best fences.

We all have an ethical obligation once we begin to use IBCLC after our names
to support our peer discipline procedures.  Uncomfortable though they are,
they are the methods by  which we protect both our profession and the people
we ultimately serve -- the mothers and babies.  The IBLCE Code of Ethics
describes the obligation to report such violations to IBLCE.

Here is a short version of how the process works:  The Ethics and Discipline
Committee will only accept signed (not anonymous complaints,) and the
receipt of a complaint begins a process of investigation.  The investigation
allows information to be gathered.  The person against whom the complaint is
lodged has an opportunity to present her/his side of things, and then the
Discipline Committee makes a ruling.  The decision  can include finding no
cause for the complaint, censure, or relinquishment of the credential.
(I've written an article about this process for the ILCA GLOBE, so look for
more details.)  The ILCA web site and the IBLCE site both have the Code of
Ethics printed on-line if you don't have a copy.

One of the huge advantages of having a professional credential is the
contract it creates between shared holders to protect the consumer and the
dignity of the profession.

Barbara
Barbara Wilson-Clay BSEd., IBCLC
Private Practice, Austin Texas
Visit the "LactNews-On-Line" Web Page
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