ljds

Thanks, everyone for the responses and the information. I'll have to check into some associations and investigate more directly what they exactly have to offer. I was skeptical of their worth (I didn't feel like any of my student associations had any direct or real worth once school was over--or really, even during school for that matter); but it sounds like the specialty associations are more practical and useful. Good to know!

I'm not saying I have all the answers; and people in the middle are ALWAYS going to fall through the cracks. I wish I could solve that, but I'm not sure I can. But I think that if insurance and medical cards paid for formula, we would see *greater* access of the working poor to quality breastmilk substitutes, not less. Of course, it would all depend upon how much the drug companies want to gouge for formula....

Okay, I'll rephrase my question. I've never really joined any nursing associations. My interests/areas of work are medical and office OB/L&D/MB. In general, do any of you belong to nursing associations? Why? What benefits do you see? Conferences, newsletters, information, education, etc? Do you think it helps you in your career, especially in advancing your degree or your position? Thanks! Lori

So what do those people do for food? I guess I just don't see the difference between paying for your baby's formula and paying for food. It's not like formula is cheap now. It's made by pharmaceutical companies anyhow. How would the price increase? Because of improvements? So we should keep it simple and marginally adequate, so that it is affordable. I disagree. I really don't see how the price would go up so much, because it's not a new med.

I just envision you getting your script for the year when you go in for your well baby checks. I don't see how it would be any different or make it more difficult. Uh, no kidding some people don't have insurance. I've sure been there. Still have to buy my kids' meds whether I have insurance or not. That is what planning, WIC, and assistance programs are for. Shrug. It's just a thought. I think the current system isn't working so well; just throwing out my two cents on how to improve the quality of food our babies get and the support their mothers and caregivers receive.

I work with alot of low income mamas, and alot of them DO make their own formula, especially when the formula from WIC runs out. Formula is expensive. If these babies' medical cards covered their formula, then perhaps I wouldn't see so many mamas feeding their babies overmixed formula (as in, twice as much water as called for), milk mixed with syrup or molasses, even supplementations with gatorade. What do you do when you spill your meds, or run out in the middle of the noc? You call an all night pharmacy. You plan ahead. It's no different than any other med for a serious condition. If someone wants to bottle feed, we dont' fire them from our practice. We try to figure out why they want to bottle feed--in many instances it is due to poor education or support. We do what we can with that. In some instances it is a very informed decision. Fine. We don't fire smokers from our practice, either. We encourage them to quit, explore options if they are interested, if they say they aren't interested in quitting, fine, we leave it at that. We've made it clear we encourage what we feel is healthiest for the baby and the mama( breastfeeding, decreasing/quitting smoking, increasing activity for sedentary moms, etc) and let them make their own decisions. We just want them to be informed of the consequences of their lifestyle and their decisions. It's part of being responsible healthcare providers, and it is part of being a parent, too. We take care of HUMANs, and humans aren't perfect. It's okay. I'm not perfect, either! Uhh, pretty far from it, actually! When I was a smoker, when I went to the doc for my annual, every year I got the quitting smoking spiel. As I should have. It would have been negligent, in my opinion, if my doc had not made it clear that I could improve my health by quitting, and by making sure I understood the risks involved. But I wasn't make to feel like the scum on the bottom of a shoe, either. Information was given, and then I was given the responsiblity of making my own decisions. That's what I try to do with mamas that choose to bottlefeed.

Thank you. I think that every forum has a "personality" as it were, and I'm just looking for a better fit. No disrespect intended for allnurses.com; it's fine. But I'm just looking to expand a bit and perhaps find something that, for lack of better term, jives with me a little better. Thanks! Lori

We have six mandatory holidays. These are also the paid holidays. On our floor we are divided into three groups, with a two holiday rotation. So for example, this year my group's assigned holidays are Labor day and Thanksgiving. I won't have these holidays again for another three years. I wouldn't be working a MANDATORY "holiday" that included no holiday pay, but for which office staff received the day off. Forget that!!! Hospitals and organizations like this, with such terrible staff-management relations (come on, what good administrator would think this is a good idea?!?!) are the reasons unions are needed. Our hospital doesn't have a union; but I honestly don't think we need one, either. I feel like our management and administration is pretty reasonable and I feel the nursing staff are treated with respect. Good luck; I agree with you that this doesn't seem right!

Perhaps not so heavily moderated? I don't know; I just feel very confined sometimes here. So, I guess you could scratch the word "progressive" and just help me with the question "What other nursing oriented forums are available?" Thanks!!! Lori

Does anyone else frequent other, maybe more progressive online nursing forums?

I skimmed all the posts (whew1) and didn't see much of anything on this, so here goes: I would like to see formula be by prescription only. If a mother chose to formula feed, she would have to meet with a pediatrician and a lactation consultant to ensure she was making an informed consent (in my time as a breastfeeding educator, I can't tell you how many times I heard reasons for bottlefeeding that were complete myths). This, of course, should occur before the baby is even born. For example, the PPD--there are meds that can be taken while breastfeeding. Maybe not the med that works for that particular mother--fine. But lets make sure she has the complete info before she has her baby. Then, if mom is still going to formula feed, give her a script for it. It makes me sick that there are decent formulas out there -- easy to digest, with little or no pesticides or additives -- but unless your baby has a medical condition, you only get to choose from the bottom of the barrel. HELLO!! Why can't all formula fed babies benefit from high quality formulas? I would also like to see insurance pay for it. This is an artifical means of sustinance--similar to TPN and lipids. The creation of it should be strenuously regulated, there should be contant research to improve it, and the product itself should be paid for by insurance. Healthy breastmilk is absolutely what is best for the baby. But the baby is part of a dyad. If a mom has sexual abuse issues, for example, breastfeeding may not be what is ultimately best for her OR her baby. Some women find breastfeeding a health means of recovery from abuse; others find it a horrible reminder of abuse. Let's help her discover her options prior to birth, get her any help that she needs, and go from there. Let's make sure that we are trying to do the best for moms and babies, not just give the lip service (yes, breast is best, but how do you do this if you work full time with no pump breaks, and if you can't afford a $300 pump? Let's figure these things out prior to birth.). So, anyway, to sum up: better prenatal education and screening. Continual improvement of breastfeeding information and education programs. Better quality formula available. By prescription only. Insurance coverage of formula. Healthier babies. When I'm queen of the world, you all will know it!

I can swear quite a bit, sometimes, especially if the g-word is off limits. And I am well educated, thank you! I have a fairly extensive vocabulary in a couple of languages; but sometimes the f-bomb is the word that best defines what I want to express. I tone it down at work, but sometimes something slips out, or something I never though in a million years would offend someone ends up being offensive. My swear word of choice are shite, frack, and mensch. But sometimes their american equivalents slip out. If I ever said "S*&T" and someone said to me, "I think you mean 'sugar'" I would probably respond, "Uh, no, I said 's*&t' and I meant it!". If you don't like it, be direct. If someone said to me, "Such language bothers me." or "Could you please tone it down for me?" I would in a heartbeat. But passive agressive crap doesn't do it for me. If I suspect something is offensive to someone, like if someone has a bunch of religious paraphenalia on their locker, I am not going to use the g-word around them. I'm more reserved around patients and do not swear, or verbalize ANYTHING controversial (religion, politics, sports, etc) with them or their families. At the nurses station in the middle of the noc, it may be a different matter. I grew up in a house where words like darn, jeez, dang, golly, crap, and shoot were considered foul and off limits. As foul as the f-bomb or the g-word, since, for example, the word "jeez" derives from the word Jesus and is therefore taking the name of Jesus in vain. So whenever someone says that swearing is offensive and is not to be tolerated, I wonder which words they mean? Just the f-bomb? Or the christian sensitivity of the g-word? Or my mother's definitions? Any "softer" words like fudge, sugar, etc, since their INTENT is to swear, to someone with my mother's sensibilities, it's the same as if you just went ahead and uttered f(*& or s*&t.

I appreciate your thoughtfulness, Timothy. That's cool. You're a good example for us all.

Our protocol is that if they are on tele, they must have IV access. So yes, we put a saline lock in everyone on tele who comes in.

Has anyone actually ever stood up to him? My experience with people like this is that if you DO stand up to them, calmly, maturely, and forcefully, rarely is there ever an issue again. I'd stand up to the guy and tell him in no uncertain terms that I WILL NOT be treated in any manner other that a professional one; if legal action is warrented (if he threw a chart at me, for example) I would take it. I would document, document, document; then I'd contact the Board of Healing Arts. If that didn't get any response, I'd probably give copies of all my notes to my local newspaper. But I can be a b**** like that.