Facility: Wellstar MCG Health

• Job Summary:

  
  The Lactation Consultant has specialized education and extensive experience in managing the needs and care of the breastfeeding family.
  In providing patient care using an understanding of age specific needs, the Lactation Consultant addresses the physiological, emotional, developmental, psychosocial and spiritual needs of the patient and family/ support system. Using a family centered approach, educational needs may range from pre-conception through time of weaning, assisting the mother to attain her individual breastfeeding goals.
  The Lactation Consultant is responsible for professional and self developmental activities. The Lactation Consultant is responsible for delivering patient care in complex, multiple problem breastfeeding situations.
  The Lactation Consultant functions as a member of the multidisciplinary health care team as a consultant, instructor, and mentor/preceptor to other health care professionals and clients in hospital and community settings.
  The Lactation Consultant independently performs her job functions and is responsible to the Manager or Assistant Nurse Manager.
  

  The Lactation Consultant who is not IBCLC certified must have an IBCLC preceptor and be checked off for all inpatient, outpatient and phones consultations for 6 months after hire date.

  
  Core Responsibilities and Essential Functions:

  
  Inpatient Consults
  Contact Patients nurse for any pertinent information
  Visit mother in hospital room for introductions and history intake
  Assess infant feeding/latch
  Provide feeding plan specific to mother/babys individual needs/goals
  Referral for outpatient consult and/or breast pump rental
  Outpatient Consults
  History intake/Assessment
  Provide hands on assistance to resolve problems
  Provide plan of care: follow up and referral
  Provide report to healthcare provider via fax and phone call if needed
  Phone Consultations
  Follow up phone call to NICU mothers to determine milk supply and address any concerns
  Follow up phone call to Breastfeeding Center outpatients previously seen
  Answer helpline phone calls: address concerns
  Performance Improvement surveys
  Professional activities
  Maintains confidentiality
  Serves as a professional role model within professional designation
  Serves a mentor in the development of peers, staff and students
  Serves as resource to nursing staff and leadership, and medical staff
  Supports performance improvement initiatives designed to promote quality patient care
  Acts as a resource to members of the health care team
  Work hand in hand with prenatal and postpartum providers to help new families meet their breastfeeding goals.
  Help the hospital to establish and support polices for exclusive breastfeeding
  Internal and external (community) breastfeeding education and promotion
  Maintains current clinical knowledge in order to contribute evidence to curriculum
  Identify patient learning needs and utilizes education principles based on age specific criteria to meet these needs
  Designs and implements educational programming that addresses identified learning needs
  Obtain roster and contact class participants prior to class
  Ensure adequate class supplies and communicate needs in a timely and appropriate manner
  Set up for classes adjusting for site specific variances
  Breastfeeding Classes
  Teaches breastfeeding classes in the hospital and community.
  Retail sales
  Assist customers in choosing breast pump which meets their needs
  Assist customers in choosing/fitting Nursing bra
  Assist customers in choosing other retail items
  Provide direction in breastpump registration and rental process
  Take in cash and provide receipt for cash and carry retail items
  Performs other duties as assigned
  Complies with all Wellstar Health System policies, standards of work, and code of conduct.

  
  Required Minimum Education:

  • Associates Health Science
  • Associates Nursing-Preferred or Bachelors Other-Preferred

  Required Minimum License(s) and Certification(s):

  
  All certifications are required upon hire unless otherwise stated.

  • BLS - Basic Life Support or BLS-I - Basic Life Support - Instructor
  • IBCLC - Certified Lactation Consultant

  
  Required Minimum Experience:

  
  Breastfeeding experience is required to become eligible to sit for the exam.
  This experience is considered adequate for entry level into Lactation Consultant practice. Hours vary based on educational background. Minimum breastfeeding experience is typically 2500 hours

  
  Required Minimum Skills:

  
  Strong judgment skills the ability to work with minimal supervision and make independent decisions that still reflect the policies/procedures and philosophy of the department
  Assisting the breastfeeding mother to attain her individual breastfeeding goals
  Assessment and patient care regarding breastfeeding for newborns, infants and mothers
  Communication with members of the health care team
  Teach breastfeeding classes to the community and to health care workers
  Telephone counseling
  Keyboard skills (computer skills including word processing desirable)
  Other duties as required related to health promotion, the WellStar Health System, and the day to day functioning of the department

• Additional Job Description

  Additional Job Description

  IBCLC Required