The nurse's greatest role is that of a patient advocate.  Nurses do not blindly 
follow orders to do so would be negligent and conflict our nursing standards of 
practice, we are to assess patient needs, educate them based on their needs, 
and implement treatment plans that are mutually agreed upon between the 
patient and ourselves.

Becoming an IBCLC is something that I will never regret.  I always loved the 
fact that working as a lactation consultant allowed me to focus on all the 
things I loved best about nursing, particularly patient advocacy.  It is a nice 
fit.  

As with any profession and with any relationship, two people will not always 
agree.  If a disagreement arises between me and a colleague or doctor, my 
goal is still patient advocacy and always education.  This is best achieved 
through professional, courteous, and respectful dialogue.  However, ultimately 
it is the patient who makes the decision.  Patients have a right to REFUSE any 
treatment.  Guiding the patient through their decision making process via 
education and support is the most effective way to change practice. 

Educating the families you work with enables them to make educated informed 
choices; therefore, THEY have the power to "conflict" their health care 
professional's advice or order not you (you only provided them the information 
needed for them to make their OWN decisions). It is all in the perception (or 
semantics)  we can not tell anyone what to do, they must make the decision 
on their own, but to do so they must be educated informed consumers.  
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