Robin: When I used to work staff (a bazillion years ago) I worked the evening shift. I was the only staff member who was not allowed to make the overhead announcement on the unit that "It is 8:00. Visiting hours are now over." They were afraid I was going to add "So get the h--l out of here!" This is why I am trying so desperately to get "nap time" instituted in our hospital. The parents want it! And it would make our lives so much easier. We are looking at 1:00-3:00 PM. The unit would go into lock-down with the hall lights dimmed, patient doors shut, staff conversations kept at low volume. NO ONE (including docs) would be allowed in a room unless it was a medical emergency. People in the room would be limited to mother, baby, her partner or support person, and baby's siblings (if of appropriate age). Moms would have the option of having their baby in the nursery, but this would not be encouraged. The purpose is for uninterrupted bonding/nursing time, as well as sleep time for the new family. On the plus side for the staff, this would give them time to complete paperwork/charting and tie up any loose ends before change of shift. We are realizing we would need to look at co-ordinating care (brand-new nursing concept! Didn't we all learn this in Nursing 101?), to minimize trips into a patient's room. I also have no trouble asking families to leave so that we can work on nursing. Sometimes they are out the door as soon as I introduce myself. Some moms say they don't care if family members stay and that's OK with me because these are her support people at home. They all hear and see the same thing. The staff is also pretty good at putting a sign on the patient's door: "Do not Disturb. See Nurse" that usually stops visitors from entering. The room phones have a no call button she can push that makes incoming calls go away and I encourage the parents to turn off their cell phones (unfortunately, cell phones can be used anywhere in the hospital except ICU/OR areas). Another issue I want to comment on is the sense I'm getting from some of the posters that you are either an RN or an LC, not both. LC vs RN - there is no versus. I am an RN whose clinical specialty is Lactation. Unless an RN has let her license go inactive, an LC who is an RN is accountable at a different level than a non-licensed LC and must adhere to her state's (or country's) Nurse Practice Act. Same holds true for other licensed HCPs. This has been discussed before and lots of posts can be found in the archives. Pam Hirsch, BSN,RN,IBCLC Clinical Lead, Lactation Services Advocate Good Shepherd Hospital Barrington, IL USA *********************************************** Archives: http://community.lsoft.com/archives/LACTNET.html Mail all commands to [log in to unmask] To temporarily stop your subscription: set lactnet nomail To start it again: set lactnet mail (or [log in to unmask]) To unsubscribe: unsubscribe lactnet or ([log in to unmask]) To reach list owners: [log in to unmask]