Vent What to do when health pros give poor info?

Today Selina went for her 6 month vaccines at the health clinic. This particular clinic serves, among others, one of the slummiest areas in the city (aka, the poorer and less educated and/or immigrant population). I have nothing against these people, just for the record!!
Among the information that the nurse asked me if I wanted was the "Rear-facing Yes Test" brochure. I declined: I'm familiar with it and I said "she's in a rear-facing seat that RF to 45 lbs, so she'll be in it a long time." The nurse responds: "oh, well, just so you know when she gets to 1 year and 20 lbs you can turn her forward-facing." I said, "that's the minimum and she'll be rear facing to the limits of her seat" to which she responds "well just make sure that it's ok for length or her little legs will get smooshed up against the back of the seat."

Are

you

serious????

I mumbled something about broken legs vs broken neck but let it go. She then offers me the 'newsletter' that has a variety of information for the stage of your child, which I actually do like, so I took that one.

She got her vaccines and then we went to the breastfeeding room to nurse. While she was eating, I was reading the 'newsletter' and came across this in the "safekeeping" section:
"Car seats
Children under 1 year of age are safest in rear-facing car seats. Once your child reaches 1 year and is at least 20 lbs (9 kg), switch to a forward-facing car seat. If your child reaches the height or weight limits of your infant seat before 1 year of age, you will need a different seat. Always follow the instructions that come with your car seat and your vehicle owner's manual."

EXCUSE ME??? "switch" to forward-facing at 1 year?? Not, you 'may' switch, but basically its saying to do it!!
To be fair, this 'newsletter' isn't just given out at this particular clinic, but I really think that this is setting people who have a language barrier, can't afford luxuries like car-seat courses or sometimes even internet access (ie they can't all come here!), or are just too busy trying to make ends meet that they don't have time to research these kinds of things. And then we hand them this information basically telling them to turn their kids FF at 1 year?!?!?!?!?

ARGH!!!

So, is there anything I can do? Besides standing at the clinic and handing them information about how RF is safer, why is our system so broken? I'd be fine with it if it said anything about RF being safest and to keep them RF to the limits of their seats or to the minimum, but this clearly doesn't.
ARGH!

/end vent

Melissa

If you have the contact information of the person you dealt with, it's easy enough to write something up to send to them. I'm more than willing.

-Nicole.

I don't. I know her first name, and that she's a nurse at the health clinic. I'm pretty sure that any of the nurses there have the same 'knowledge' and I know they all give the same 'newsletter' info.
Since we now have one big fat provincial health board, where would I send a letter? To the clinic location, the city location or the province?

Melissa

Start at the clinic.. I can write something up that suggests they pass on the information to their agency.

-N.

I don't know. I am guessing you are talking about the brochures from Alberta Health. I get them at every clinic and doctors office we go to, it would be nice if the brochures changed from the top down.

We are going through the same thing here with a health nurse trying to bully my friend into FF her 1yo by saying it is a legal requirement. She knows better, thank goodness, but it scares me to think of how many others have been told this and take it as the truth.
We are going in to the health unit for a staff meeting....maybe you could do the same at yours.

I've had mixed info come from public health. I'm pretty sure I got a car seat brochure once when DS was about a week old that had poor information, and I've also had a nurse be absolutely shocked that I didn't have a bucket seat. (I mean, how else can I carry around the baby when I'm out?)

On the other hand, I happened to look at one of the growth and development brochures earlier, the 2-4 month one, and it does say under car safety: "I am safest staying rear-facing as long as possible in a seat that fits my height and weight. Read and follow the seat instructions and the vehicle's owners manual."

ETA: but I admit I hadn't read it before today, so I'm not sure how many others do either, and that statement is mixed in with all sorts of other safety info - it's not going to stand out at all.

dogmelissa said:

I don't. I know her first name, and that she's a nurse at the health clinic. I'm pretty sure that any of the nurses there have the same 'knowledge' and I know they all give the same 'newsletter' info.
Since we now have one big fat provincial health board, where would I send a letter? To the clinic location, the city location or the province?

Melissa

Click to expand...

Nancy Staniland would be my top pick.

Okay, I'll write something up for the for the incident here in BC, and then forward on the letter to the techs in Alberta to determine how they're going to send it out? I just need to get a quiet hour this weekend to write.

-Nicole.

If I can be so bold, I'd also point out that as of Jan 1, 2010, all new seats entering Canada will be 22lbs minimum for ff'ing, so all literature should be updated to reflect that.

AB is only proper use, so there's not going to be any revision to our rf'ing minimum requirements meaning that as long as there are 20lb ff'ing seats available for sale, 20lb ff'ing will remain legal. But health units etc should be giving out the 22lb info now considering that the remaining manufacturers are currently phasing in the requirements of the new legislation.

Hi Nicole...I'm wondering if I could get a copy of what you are writing/or something similar re: parent/caregiver ed. I'm at my GP's office in Delta on a regular basis. I have a good rapport with her and I know she will pay attention to it and allow it to be circulated in the clinic as needed. You can email me here or on FB. Thanks!

I have a PDF of an article that was in the journal Pediatrics awhile back that is very clear about the fact that medical professionals dealing with children need to update their knowledge/advice on the subject of rear-facing. This was the first thing I sent my GP when I started a dialogue with her on the subject.

I don't remember where I got it (it was probably here), but I'm not going to just post it because I'm not sure I should. If you PM me I'll sent it to you.

I wrote something up. If anyone wants to give me an edit, send me a PM.