Lactation Consultant

Job Summary

The Lactation Consultant provides patient and family-centered lactation support services based upon his/her specialty training, through an interdisciplinary and collaborative approach. S/he assesses, plans, implements, and evaluates lactation plans for the breastfeeding/chest-feeding dyad and the pumping parent and collaborates fully with the health care team. S/he additionally serves as a resource for providers and patients who may be located at other Chase Brexton sites.

Major Duties And Responsibilities

Analytical and Critical Thinking

• Provides lactation assessment, management, education and instruction in the form of prenatal education and postpartum consultative care.
• Assists patients in the process of obtaining a breast pump, if needed.
• Provides services designed to meet the individual patient’s needs in terms of literacy, preferred language.
• Designs her intervention to meet the patient’s goals with regard to breastfeeding/lactation.
• Assesses for barriers and assets in a patient’s social and emotional environment that are likely to affect lactation outcomes.
  
  

Patient Focus

• Demonstrates professionalism and integrity in all aspects of patient care.
• Effectively engages patients in their care.
• Addresses patient concerns brought up during visit, and documents assessment and plan for these concerns.
• Integrates lactational interventions within the larger OB team to ensure that biopsychosocial concerns are addressed.
• Follows up with patients to evaluate efficacy of interventions and address any ongoing needs.
  
  

Teamwork

• Fosters a collaborative work environment
• Functions as the primary clinical lactation consultant for CBHC.
• Works with peers to implement improvements to workflow or to the workplace.
• Participates in warm handoffs during prenatal and postpartum visits, when consulted.
• May participate in education during group prenatal visits.
• Works within organization to increase provision of lactation services.
• Participates in interdisciplinary programs to promote and improve lactation support and breastfeeding rates among CBHC patients.
• Participates in internal committees and teams as requested.
  
  

Communication

• Returns patient calls within 2 working days. If out of office for a period of time without access to voicemail, informs the primary OB provider of lactational interventions, through flags, problem list up-dates, and/or visit note documentation.
• Informs OB RN and primary OB provider of lactation interventions/plan.
• Informs Perinatal psyc provider of lactation interventions/plan, if applicable.
• Keeps OB team informed of developments in lactation services.
• Provides direction to the organization with respect to lactation services.
• Participates when requested to serve on committees.
• Participates when requested to participate in community activities.
• Participates when requested to be a media contact.
• Reads and responds to e-mail in a timely manner (within 2 working days), unless out of office indicates otherwise
  
  

Checking, Examining, and Recording

• Bills all encounters.
• Maintains complete and comprehensive documentation.
• Consistently completes progress notes of patient encounters by end of the next business day.
  
  

Workplace Computers and Equipment

• Utilizes EMR resources to manage patient care, including flags and referrals.
• Uses “out of office” functions in EMR, Outlook, and phone system to make staff aware of absences.
  
  

Compliance, Policy, and Procedure

• Keeps current with respect to organizational policies and procedures, and puts them into practice.
  
  

Willingness to Learn

• Takes active steps to keep current in new developments within the field of lactation
  
  

Skills And Abilities

• In-depth knowledge of lactation assessments and interventions
• Strong communication, research, presentation, and creative skills
• Basic navigation knowledge of electronic medical record applications such as CPS 12 and ability to learn new computer skills
• Maintain sensitivity to religious, ethnic and cultural differences in others and show respect and empathy
  
  

Education And/Or Experience

• Required: Active Board Certified International Board Certified Lactation Consultant certification (IBCLC)
• 1+ years’ experience as a lactation consultant