Job Description

Lactation Consultant

Department: Milk Lab

Location: Hosp-Dal-D

Shift: Full-time Day shift

Job Type: On-Site

Why Children's Health?

At Children's Health, our mission is to Make Life Better for Children, and we recognize that their health plays a crucial role in achieving this goal. Through our cutting-edge treatments and affiliation with UT Southwestern, we strive to deliver an extraordinary patient and family experience, ensuring that every moment, big or small, contributes to their overall well-being. Our dedication to promoting children's health extends beyond our organization and encompasses the broader community. Together, we can make a significant difference in the lives of children and contribute to a brighter and healthier future for all.

Summary: Responsible for assessment, care planning, education, and discharge planning for lactating mother's of sick infants. Counsels lactating mothers on an inpatient and outpatient basis. Provides lactation consultation to individuals and groups of staff, serving as a resource person to staff. Fosters staff development, participates in scholarly and research activities. Demonstrates commitment to own professional growth and competence.

Responsibilities:

• Provides or supports direct care to breastfeeding infants and families and ensures continuity of care. Consults with members of the health care team to facilitate the patient's plan of care. Ensures that recommended strategies are incorporated into the plan and that staff are consistent in using the strategies. Assesses patient/family learning needs and ensures that they are met. Provides mothers with lactation teaching/instructional materials for infant positioning during feeding, handling of breast milk, mother's diet, breast pump usage, etc. Develop patient/family education tools as needed.
• Meets families of complex patients and maintains contact throughout admission as required. Participates in/schedules interdisciplinary meetings as needed. Coordinates with outpatient staff to facilitate care across the continuum. Provides maternal support to foster a mother's confidence in her feeding decisions. Establishes daily contact and maintains on-going communication with the mother, targeting those with breastfeeding problems. Collaborates with the parents to facilitate ongoing lactation plans at discharge. Follows up with breastfeeding mothers after discharge to obtain breastfeeding rates and problem solve as needed.
• Coordinates staff development programs for nursing and ancillary support staff. Serves as a consultant to other professionals in the planning and implementation of educational programs. Assesses the learning needs of staff and provides education accordingly. Serves as an expert, role model, and mentor for the health care team in lactation care practices, recognizing opportunities to effectively utilize change theory in the promotion of lactation. Leads and/or develops educational programs for healthcare professionals on topics relating to lactation care practices; providing lactation education opportunities, materials, and in-services for staff, understanding the need to use adult learning theory.
• Collaborates with the leadership at Children's to optimize lactation practices across all units. Assesses, plans, implements, and evaluates lactation practices using clinical practice guidelines from the International Board of Lactation Consultants Examiners (IBCLE). Analyzes data related to the guidelines and revises content. Promotes the acquisition of skills for staff and verification of competency. Serves as co-chair of Children's Lactation Committee. Participates in the development, review, and revision of all policies and procedures related to lactation support in the NICU and CCMC. Collaborates with management and staff to ensure that the culture of the Newborn Intensive Care Unit supports lactation. Collaborates with MD's, NNP's, CNC's, bedside RN's, in communication and decision-making of the lactation plan of care, documenting the plan appropriately. Participates in a daily/weekly interdisciplinary rounding, collaborating with other team members to develop/document a lactation plan of care for appropriate infants.
• Participates in scholarly activities to enhance own level of competence. Participate in scholarly activities including writing for publication, presentation of a lecture, abstract or poster at a national conference. Participates in research activities, including generating research ideas; assist staff in utilization of research and evidence based practice.

Work Experience:

* At least 2 years experience in care of lactating mothers Req

* At least 3 years experience in care of lactating mothers Pref

Education:

* Four-year Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience Req

* Graduate or professional work or advanced degree; or equivalent experience Pref

Licenses and Certifications:

* Must be able to sit for International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) exam, as evidenced in writing from a certified body AND must pass the exam within 12 months of hire. Req

A Place Where You Belong

We put our people first. We welcome, value, and respect the beliefs, identities and experiences of our patients and colleagues. We are committed to delivering culturally effective care, creating meaningful partnerships in the communities we serve, and equipping and developing our team members to make Children's Health a place where everyone can contribute.

Holistic Benefits How We'll Care for You:

Employee portion of medical plan premiums are covered after 3 years.

4%-10% employee savings plan match based on tenure

Paid Parental Leave (up to 12 weeks)

Caregiver Leave

Adoption and surrogacy reimbursement

As an equal opportunity employer, Children's Health does not discriminate against employees or applicants because of race, color, religion, sex, gender identity and expression, sexual orientation, age, national origin, veteran or military status, disability, or genetic information or any other Federal or State legally-protected status or class. This applies to all aspects of the employer-employee relationship including but not limited to recruitment, hiring, promotion, transfer pay, training, discipline, workforce adjustments, termination, employee benefits, and any other employment-related activity.

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