Code of Professional Conduct Updates to Enhance Gender Neutrality
The International Board of Lactation Consultant Examiners® (IBLCE®) has made some revisions to the Code of Professional Conduct for IBCLCs (CPC) to enhance gender neutrality as well as to incorporate British English. As an international organisation, IBLCE uses British English in its publications and documents.
Addendum: Professional Boundaries in Online Communities
The International Board of Lactation Consultant Examiners (IBLCE) issued an advisory opinion in September 2015 entitled Professionalism in the Social Media Age. That advisory opinion provided guidance to IBCLCs on professional practice as it relates to electronic communication. It set forth broad principles and issues for consideration to ensure not only the public is protected but also the personal and professional integrity of the IBCLC is protected as well.
Since that time, the use of social media has become increasingly prevalent. Online communities have experienced particularly robust growth over the past several years. These self-organised communities of interest can be helpful to network and share professional information. At the same time, their use should be in alignment with professional behaviour. As IBLCE has received several communications expressing concern about the use of such online communities, IBLCE is issuing an updated advisory opinion, Professionalism in the Social Media Age, which includes an addendum entitled Professional Boundaries in Online Communities. Refresh your recollection on the advisory opinion and review the addendum here.
Updates to Disciplinary Procedures for the Code of Professional Conduct for IBCLCs
The Code of Professional Conduct for IBCLCs governs the professional conduct and behaviour of International Board Certified Lactation Consultants. In turn, the accompanying disciplinary procedures govern how IBLCE conducts the process when ethics complaints are filed. The IBCLC ethics and disciplinary process is driven primarily by IBCLC volunteer leaders. The procedures have been updated and streamlined so as to emphasise the confidential nature of the process as well as to leverage volunteer time more effectively.
IBLCE has updated the Code of Professional Conduct Complaint Form in a similar manner.
IBCLC Ethics & Disciplinary Information may be found here.