Ethics and Professional Conduct Flashcards
6 cards from real IBCLC practice questions. Tap to flip, then mark Knew It or Still Learning — missed cards come back until you master them.
Read the first 6 Ethics and Professional Conduct flashcards as text
An IBCLC is asked to provide lactation support to a mother who is a personal friend. What is the most appropriate course of action?
Answer: Refer the friend to another IBCLC to avoid a dual relationship
Dual relationships can compromise clinical objectivity and should be avoided when possible.
A mother asks the IBCLC not to include certain information in her medical record because she is concerned about privacy. The information is clinically relevant. What should the IBCLC do?
Answer: Explain why the information is clinically important for documentation while respecting her concerns about confidentiality
The IBCLC should balance the mother's privacy concerns with the professional obligation to maintain accurate clinical records.
An IBCLC employed by a hospital is pressured by administration to reduce consultation time to 15 minutes per patient to increase throughput. What is the ethical response?
Answer: Advocate for adequate consultation time by presenting evidence that rushed consultations compromise breastfeeding outcomes
The IBCLC has a professional obligation to advocate for conditions that support quality care.
What is the primary purpose of the IBCLC recertification process?
Answer: To ensure IBCLCs maintain current knowledge and competency in lactation care
Recertification ensures that IBCLCs maintain current, evidence-based knowledge and skills to protect public safety.
An IBCLC working in private practice wants to use before-and-after photos of clients' breastfeeding outcomes for her website. What ethical considerations apply?
Answer: Written informed consent must be obtained, and the mother must understand how images will be used and have the right to withdraw consent
Using client images requires explicit written informed consent that specifies the purpose, medium, and the client's right to withdraw consent at any time.
An IBCLC suspects that a breastfeeding infant may be experiencing physical abuse based on unexplained bruising observed during a consultation. What is the IBCLC's legal and ethical obligation?
Answer: Report the suspicion to the appropriate child protective services agency as a mandated reporter
IBCLCs are mandated reporters in most jurisdictions and must report suspected child abuse or neglect.