Lactation Specialist, Part-time, Day shift

About the role

Provides inpatient lactation services to women and their families adapting the instruction and care to the lifestyle, cultural background and socio-economic status of the patient. Works in collaboration with the direct nursing staff and the physician to assist the patient in achieving a satisfactory start to successful breastfeeding. Assists in the implementation of short and long range goals applying to breastfeeding that are identified by the nursing staff providing direct patient care.

Qualifications

• High School Education/GED or equivalent: Preferred
• Bachelor's Degree or equivalent combination of education/related experience: Preferred
• Two years' relevant experience: Preferred
• Experience teaching health education classes and facilitating support groups: Preferred
• Registered Nurse (RN) licensure in the state of practice: Preferred
• Certified Lactation Consultant: Required
• Cardiopulmonary Resuscitation (CPR) certification or Basic Life Support (BLS) certification from approved vendor per AH policy: Preferred

Responsibilities

• Employs an interdisciplinary approach to providing comprehensive newborn assessment and lactation support.
• Facilitates the coordination of all necessary services for patients and families.
• Coordinates patient care for hospital admissions, specialty referrals, and ancillary support departments based on the assessment from the newborn visit.
• Within the assigned service area of operation, contacts every woman who has delivered a newborn, offers telephonic assessment and lactation support, generates a nursing care plan, and monitors follow up.
• Assesses the needs of the mother and her newborn in the post-partum period.
• Documents identified high risk factors and problems, which may require consultation and intervention, and plans for appropriate follow up.
• Collaborates with other members of the health care team to identify parent's educational and competency gaps related to breastfeeding and newborn assessment.
• Conducts and documents individual or family lactation or newborn visits to address the identified gaps associated with the newborn or lactation visit.
• In collaboration with other members of the healthcare team, assesses staff knowledge and identifies competency-based educational needs of staff related to breastfeeding patients and newborn assessment.
• Provides both formal and informal medical and nursing staff education services in a manner that is consistent, uniform, efficient and cost-effective.
• Evaluates the effectiveness of the education and modifies educational plans as needed.
• Provides daily assessment and support of new mothers and infants in conjunction with the nursing staff.
• Appropriately documents breastfeeding assessments, interventions and plan of care in the medical record.
• Communicates breastfeeding assessment and plan of care with bedside nurse to ensure continuity.
• Performs duties of the clinical nurse in assigned setting when necessary.
• Assists with development and updating of lactation protocols in collaboration with a health care team of physicians, nurse practitioner, midwife, social workers, and nutritionists.
• Teaches group prenatal newborn care and lactation classes.
• Provides education and mentoring to health care professionals.
• Mentors nursing staff in providing inpatient education.
• Communicates and markets breastfeeding education programs to a broad target audience using appropriate methods, and based on identified/assessed needs.
• Provides breastfeeding education to obstetrical and pediatric care providers in the community.
• Communicates the assessment and plan of care to the mother and/or baby's doctor when seen in the outpatient clinic.
• Collaborates with the department manager, quality management, and/or designee to establish ongoing monitoring of breast feeding, mother-infant care indicators, policy implementation and improve quality of perinatal care as needed.
• Collects, monitors, records, and reports data as needed.
• Meets with appropriate person and/or committee as needed to review monitored data for quality assurance.
• Performs other job-related duties as assigned.

Pay

$36.08 to $54.07 per hour. Additional individual compensation may be available through differentials, extra shift incentives, bonuses, etc.

Schedule

Day shift, 8-hour shifts, part-time regular assignment.