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Board News
MEET
THE NEWEST BOD MEMBERS: CRYSTAL STEARNS AND DEBBIE COSTELLO
As we say goodbye and thank you to retiring
USLCA Board of Directors Maureen Dann, CPNP, IBCLC, and Carol Chamblin,
RN, MS, IBCLC, we welcome the newest members of the Board, Debbie
Costello, RN, IBCLC, from South Carolina, and Crystal Stearns, RNC,
BSN, MS, IBCLC, from Oklahoma.
Debbie Hoyle Costello, RN, Lactation
Consultant for inpatient and outpatient services and Level 3 NICU
at Spartanburg Regional Healthcare System located in Spartanburg,
South Carolina. Debbie has held this position for one year since
she and her husband relocated to the South Carolina Upstate from
Gainesville, Florida.
She has been a Board Certified Lactation Consultant since 1995.
Debbie has 34 years experience in Maternal Child Health issues with
emphasis on childbirth and parenting education, public health, and
over 18 years in lactation counseling. Debbie helped open the Women's
Center at North Florida Regional Medical Center in Gainesville,
Florida, in 1990 and had a thriving lactation department, serving
the childbearing families in the Gainesville area. Her weekly mother
and baby "Postpartum Luncheons" were well known in the community
for helping mothers adjust to their 4th Trimester.
She was co-speaker with the late Dr. Barbara Bennett at 4 American
College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG) Annual Clinical
Meetings, 1998-2001, presenting "Breastfeeding: Balance the Science
with the Practical." Debbie's part was the practical and how IBCLC's
work with their medical community and about being a team member
to help the breastfeeding family with breastfeeding challenges.
Debbie has been a member of Florida Lactation Consultant Association
(FLCA) for 13 years and served as President 2005-07. When she moved
to South Carolina, she joined the South Carolina Breastfeeding Coalition
and was instrumental in getting the coalition to join ILCA/USLCA.
She is currently on the steering committee as the USLCA/ILCA Liaison.
Debbie and her husband James have two adult daughters and one granddaughter,
who live in Florida.
Crystal Stearns, RN, IBCLC, is from South Center,
Oklahoma. She has been married for 35 years, and has one son and
one grandson, who, according to Crystal, "are the reason I was put
on this earth."She has been a RN for 27 years and has worked in
the Women's Health field her whole career. Crystal is a founding
member of the Oklahoma State Department of Health WIC's Breastfeeding
Task Force. She has been an American Red Cross Disaster Nurse since
1978 and is the President of the local Critical Incident Stress
Management Team. After working a few years as an IBCLC Crystal saw
a real need for more mental health support for my breastfeeding
mother so she returned to college and in 1994 received her Masters
in Mental Health Counseling. "I feel it's a real privilege to be
a part of USLCA and look forward to a productive term and building
long lasting friendships."
WHERE WE'VE BEEN AND WHAT WE'VE
ACCOMPLISHED THIS YEAR
The USLCA Board of Directors has
been busy this year. The General Meeting and Conference is a good
time for reflection about what the organization has accomplished
in the last year. Board members have been busy–and so have
USLCA members! Check out these committee reports:
USLCA Licensure
Committee Update July 2008
Maureen Dann, CPNP, IBCLC (mhdann@aol.com)
Laurie Beck, RN, MSN, IBCLC (laurie.beck@dchstx.org)
The USLCA Board of Directors would like to make
an official position statement in regards to licensure. We would
like to have some volunteers to help aggressively promote the concept
of licensure at the national level with full backing and support
from the USLCA Board of Directors. Obstacles have been identified
in many areas. We need to unite as one and begin to move forward
to strengthen our unique profession.
Tracy Torgerson and Doraine Bailey have agreed
to actively work on the USLCA Licensure and Legislative Position
Statement. We would like to have a formal statement that will be
posted on the website in the upcoming months. The USLCA supports
the concept of individual states seeking licensure for IBCLCs. We
want to encourage and facilitate states in the licensure process.
Benefits of licensure will be 1) Protection of the Public and 2)
Title Protection for the IBCLC.
Licensure will vary from each state. The USLCA
Licensure and Legislative Toolkit was released in 2007 to assist
each state in the lengthy process. The USLCA e-Newsletter plans
to have a "Legislative Corner" to share information
and resources. Legislative activity in regards to breastfeeding
will be monitored at the state and national level. The USLCA Board
of Directors will address concerns in regards to licensure and legislation
as they arise. Liaison relationships are being formed to increase
the awareness of the IBCLC as the expert in the field of lactation.
We are asking for the USLCA Chapters to assist us in communicating
what is happening legislatively in each state. Click here
to read the Licensure Committee Goals for 2008-2009.
USLCA Education Committee Update July 2008
Laurie Beck, RN, MSN, IBCLC (laurie.beck@dchstx.org)
Maureen Dann, CPNP, IBCLC (mhdann@aol.com)
The USLCA Education Committee is working to find
innovative ways to provide members with useful educational opportunities.
To that end, the committee:
- Reported on their activities at the
Board of Directors meeting in March 2008
- In April 2008 committee chairs sent out an
email to the Education Committee asking for volunteers to help
with the ILCA/USLCA Conference in Las Vegas and for topics for
upcoming webinars.
- CERPS online and Webinars are still pending.
Scott Sherwood, USLCA Executive Director, continues to work with
First Point Resources and will let us know when these activities
can be launched. Speakers and topics suggested for webinars are
Glenda Dickerson on communication, Liz Brooks on ethics, and Marsha
Walker on perinatal regulations and the influence of the IBCLC.
- The committee still needs committee volunteers
to put together a one page resource that has the different lactation
titles, education requirements, and credentials that exist in
the United States. What makes the IBCLC special? Why should the
public and health care professionals utilize an IBCLC?
- Committee chairs plan to recruit new
active committee members at the ILCA/USLCA Conference
Liaison/Advocacy
Committee Update July 2008
Faith B. Ploude, BA, IBCLC, RLC
The USLCA is asking its members to help with the
2008 Liaison/Advocacy Committee. USLCA gives you an opportunity
to be involved in your professional association. We need liaisons
for various United States professional committees, including those
listed here.
Some of the liaisons require availability for travel, while others
take time to participate in conference calls or forums via their
computers. If you are interested in having a say in our future,
please email us at info@uslcaonline.org,
or contact one of our board members at the USLCA conference booth
regarding how you can be effective in promoting IBCLCs.
USLCA Marketing
Committee Update July 2008
Judy Harris, MPH, RD, IBCLC
The Marketing Committee has been working to get
the word out about USLCA–both to potential members, and also
to organizations with shared and overlapping purposes. The committee
sent out information to various listservs, and has been working
with Board Members to come up with promotional ideas, flyers, and
ads. In addition, a confidentiality agreement was reached with IBLCE
for a custom mailing to target first time IBCLCs, USLCA members,
and non-members.
USLCA Chapter News Update
July 2008
There are now 34 USLCA Chapters. As a benefit
of being a chapter there is a $50 discount for a member of your
chapter to represent your chapter at the annual meeting.
This year the chapters that took this opportunity
were:
- Lactation Consultants Together/LC Association
of So. NJ (LACTO) Connie Gleckler
- Long Island Lactation Consultant
Association (LILCA) Dawn Frank
- Lactation Consultants of Metro St. Louis (LCMSL)
Deanna Kassing
- Alabama Lactation Consultant Association
(ALCA) Miriam Kuntz
The USLCA Chapter meeting will be on Wednesday
evening July 23, from 8:00-9:00 pm. If you have a member that can
represent your chapter to attend the USLCA Chapter meeting please
contact Scott Sherwood at: ssherwood@firstpointresources.com
It would be awesome to see chapter representatives from all 34 chapters
at that meeting.
USLCA has arranged to have state and region tables
set up for networking during lunch on Friday July 25 from 12:30-1:30.
Come by and have lunch with familiar and new faces. If your state
does not have a chapter this is a great time to see how a chapter
can be developed. If you are from an active chapter, bring information
to share.
The conference is packed with opportunities to
network. The USLCA looks forward to seeing you:
Wednesday, July 23
8:00-9:00 pm
USLCA Chapter Meeting
Thursday, July 24
5:30-6:30 pm
USLCA General Meeting
Friday, July 25
12:30-1:30 pm
USLCA State/Chapter Roundtables
Topics:
- What do you need to start a Chapter
and keep it active?
- Legislative Representatives are needed from
each state to pursue licensure and follow legislative activity
- Reimbursement-Chapter contacts needed.
- Communication with your members, what do you
use? Newsletter, Website, Chatroom/blog
The next chapter phone call will be on
Sunday August 3rd. Each chapter contact receives the minutes and
conference information. Contact them if you are able to represent
your chapter.
We want to hear your voice.
Best Regards,
Karen Querna, RN, BSN, IBCLC
USLCA Secretary
secretary@uslcaonline.org
Click here
to see a complete listing of USLCA Chapters
Liaison
Report
HEALTHY PEOPLE 2020 MEETING, MAY 28, 2008, BETHESDA, MD
Faith B. Ploude, BS, IBCLC,
LLL Leader, attended the final Healthy People 2020 public input
meeting as the USLCA representative. The 3 minutes public comments
from the audience were completed in two sessions of 1 hour each.
There were 414 registered participants. Approximately 50 individuals
spoke at the Bethesda meeting on topics that ranged from infancy
to the aged; many aspects of men's and women's issues; alternate
life style issues; educational institutions, non profits groups,
private industry and government policy issues.
Three of us spoke concerning breastfeeding.read
more.
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LEGISLATIVE
CORNER:
MALONEY BILL
UPDATE
The USBC has produced a fact sheet with information
about the Maloney Bill–The Breastfeeding Promotion Act of
2007. We need to keep up the pressure to ensure that this bill passes
both the House and the Senate, and becomes the law of the land,
protecting breastfeeding mothers in the workplace. To see the fact
sheet, click here. To see a list of sponsors of the bill, click
here.
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CONFERENCE UPDATES
LAS VEGAS, HERE WE COME!
The ILCA/USLCA Conference is just days away! Much of
this issue of the eNews is devoted to last minute conference plans, tips,
and teasers to get you in the mood. Be sure to stop by the ILCA/USLCA
booth in the Exhibit Hall and say "hi"-and maybe sign up for a committee
or volunteer to write an article for the eNews!
WHERE WILL I GO, WHAT WILL I DO?
One of the exciting aspects of attending an ILCA conference
is that there is always something going on. One of the frustrating aspects
is trying to decide where to be when. Even after you've carefully made
your session selections, there are still other meetings and events that
you'll need to know about ahead of time so you don't miss them. To help
you out, here's a partial list of some of those "extra" meetings, special
interest groups (SIGs), and events that have special interest to USLCA
members: (Click on the links for more information.)
Bag Stuffing Party! Tuesday,
July 22nd, All Day: Don't forget this pre-conference bash. Come
stuff conference bags, eat pizza, and mingle with some soon-to-be friends!
USLCA Chapter Meeting, Wednesday, 8:00-9:00PM:
Led by USLCA Secretary Karen Querna, this will be an important opportunity
to hear what Chapters are doing across the country–and how USLCA
is working to support the Chapters.
USLCA General Meeting, Thursday, 5:30-6:30PM:
This is our annual membership meeting–an opportunity to hear from
USLCA President Glenda Dickerson and the Board of Directors about what
has been accomplished so far, where the organization is headed, what's
left to do, and how you can fit into this grand plan to advocate for the
lactation consultant profession. It's an opportunity for you to share
your ideas and concerns as well.
USLCA Licensure/Legislative Committee Meeting,
Thursday, 8:30-9:30PM: Led by USLCA Board Member Laurie Beck,
this meeting will discuss strategies to make IBCLC the agreed upon "standard"
for delivering professional lactation consultant services to mothers and
infants in the hospital setting. In addition, Marsha Walker, RN, IBCLC,
will present her experience and provide a handout/guide giving direction
on approaching State Public Health Departments to include the IBCLC in
perinatal regulations during a box lunch session on Friday, July 25th,
from 12:30-1:30PM.
Hospital IBCLCs SIG Meeting, Thursday, 8:00-9:30PM:
From USLCA Secretary Karen Querna:
Last year at ILCA I believed that USLCA could have a staffing position
statement ready for 2008. In recent months USLCA became aware of research
on this subject being completed by Deanne Francis, RN, IBCLC, and her
daughter Shannon Clegg, BSN, MBA, IBCLC, in Salt Lake City, Utah. We felt
it advisable to wait for the completion of their work, which will be presented
at the ILCA/USLCA Conference in Las Vegas Thursday, July 24, at 10:30
am. The title of the presentation is: Standardization of Lactation
Staffing in an Integrated Hospital System.
Shannon and Deanne have also graciously agreed to facilitate the Hospital
SIG meeting that evening at 8:30-9:30 pm. This year CERPs can be earned
at SIG Meetings.
The objectives for this SIG meeting are as follows. The participants will:
- Interact and share ideas on how to determine
staffing levels for hospital-based lactation programs.
- Interact and share ideas on how to quantify the
efficacy of their hospital-based lactation program.
- Explore options and ideas for optimizing reimbursement
for lactation services offered in the hospital setting.
This new information, coupled with the staffing model
by Becky Mannel, IBCLC, published in JHL 2006, should help to facilitate
the creation of a Staffing Position Statement. If you are a Hospital based
IBCLC and would be interested in participating with a dynamic team of
other IBCLCs that will make a difference by taking the data, complete
more research if necessary, and produce a position statement within the
next 12 months, please email me at: Secretary@uslcaonline.org.
Best Regards,
Karen Querna, RN, BSN, IBCLC
USLCA Secretary
AND A COUPLE OF OTHER CONFERENCE
TIDBITS…
First, A Weather Report
If you've been paying attention to national weather maps lately, you'll
know that it is definitely summertime-especially in Las Vegas, where the
daily temperature has been well over the 100 mark for days. That's HOT.
Fortunately, unlike the San Diego resort location, it is not necessary
to go outside to get from the hotel rooms to the conference area (or the
casinos, for that matter, although it is possible to avoid this area all
together if you prefer). Plan on air-conditioned comfort inside (a light
wrap might be advisable in case the AC is a bit TOO cool), and excessive
heat outside.
Second, Some Pre-Conference Trivia
Try your hand at some geographic conference trivia, based on registration
information through July 3rd:
1. So far, there are people attending the conference from all but 2 states.
Which ones are missing (and it's not too late to change this!): ______________________
and _____________________
2. One state is home to the largest number of attendees by far-180 and
counting. Which state would that be? _______________________
3. Four states have only one representative (so far). Guess which 4! ______________________,
_____________________, _________________ and __________________.
4. It's not too surprising that states that are sending the most attendees
are in the west. One east coast state made the top four-which one? ______________________
[click here for
answers]
TIPS: TECHNOLOGY IN PRACTICE: Focus on Leadership
Need a Job? Try SimplyHired.com
It's a sign of the times-online job searching! And
as an indication that the lactation consultant is gaining ground in credibility,
it is now possible to find not just a few LC openings, but many. One such
job search website is www.simplyhired.com that currently has more than
60 job openings for lactation consultants listed. A few years ago, that
number would have been just a handful. So, update your resume, brush up
on your interview skills, and impress upon a potential employer the need
to hire lactation consultants who have earned the "gold standard" of accreditation,
IBCLC.
New
Online Educatin Program "Health Literacey" Training Available
What's your Health Literacy score? Is your
practice "culturally competent"? Can you communicate well
with mothers for whom English is not their native tongue?
The National Committee for Quality Assurance (NCQA)
has announced a new online course in Health Literacy. This 5 hour course,
"Unified Health Communication 101: Addressing Health Literacy, Cultural
Competency, and Limited English Proficiency," is free, and can be
taken for credit (CEU/CE, CHES, CME, CNE) or not for credit. According
to the NCQA website, the training will help:
- Improve patient communication skills
- Increase awareness and knowledge of the three main
factors that affect communication with patients: health literacy, cultural
competency, and low English proficiency
- Implement patient-centered communication practices
that demonstrate cultural competency and appropriately address patients
with limited health literacy and low English proficiency.
The course was designed and developed by the Health
Resources and Services Administration (HRSA), and is jointly sponsored
by NCQA.
For more information: http://www.hrsa.gov/healthliteracy/training.htm
Joint
Commission Alert: Stop Bad Behavior Among Health Care Professionals
In a press release issued July 9, 2008, the Joint Commission has stated for health care professionals what our mothers have taught us all along–Be nice! From the press release:
"Health care is a high-stakes, pressure-packed environment that can test the limits of civility in the workplace. A new alert issued today by The Joint Commission warns that rude language and hostile behavior among health care professionals goes beyond being unpleasant and poses a serious threat to patient safety and the overall quality of care."
The Commission has issued new standards that address appropriate professional conduct that are as appropriate for lactation consultants as they are for doctors, nurses, and other health care professionals. These standards give "meat" to what ought to be obvious–that common courtesy builds positive professional interactions, and rudeness interferes—and endangers patient safety.
To read the full press release, click here. To read the Sentinel Event Alert, click here.
Mother's
Survey of Sleep and Fatigue
Kathy Kendall-Tackett, PhD, IBCLC, and Thomas Hale,
PhD, are co-investigators for a survey that they hope to "be among
the first to document where and how much babies sleep, whether mothers
tell others (including their health care providers) about where their
baby sleeps, and whether breastfeeding mothers report more or less fatigue."
You can help by disseminating information about
the survey to the mothers you work with. From the flyer about the survey:
"We are pleased to announce our new online
survey of mothers' sleep and fatigue. Please tell mothers you work with
about our study. The more mothers we can get to participate, the more
valid our findings. This study is open to all mothers with babies 0-12
months old. We would like to include breastfeeding and non-breastfeeding
women, and women of all ethnicities and income levels.
"We hope to document:
- Where and how much do babies sleep?
- Are mothers who breastfeed and co-sleep more or
less tired than mothers who don't?
- Are mothers telling their friends, relatives and
health care providers where their babies sleep?
- Are there ethnic group differences in where babies
sleep?
- What is the role of depression, psychological trauma
and difficult birth in mothers' ongoing daytime fatigue?
"The questionnaire takes 20 to 30 minutes to complete
and is confidential. It has been approved by the Institutional Review
Board at Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center, Amarillo, Texas.
The link for the survey is: http://neonatal.ttuhsc.edu/lact."
For more information about the study, contact
Kathy Kendall-Tackett, kkendallt@aol.com.
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