Volunteer Lactation Consultant (IBCLC)

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GENERAL

Responsible for the overall coordination, planning and management of patient and family education related to breastfeeding for families enrolled in the Healthy Families Initiative Program for Pea Pod Nutrition and Lactation Support.

QUALIFICATIONS/KNOWLEDGE REQUIRED

• Preferred that the candidate have BS/BA degree or equivalent one-year. Candidate should be an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC), at least 2 years experience preferred.
• Professional knowledge of the breastfeeding process, antepartum, intrapartum and post-partum health care and psychosocial issues. Knowledge of premature infants and from newborns to toddlers.
• Knowledge of the breastfeeding care and educational principles, practices, procedures and techniques required to assess learning needs, develop an educational plan, and teach/counsel, patients and family members and evaluate the effectiveness of the instruction.
• Highly specialized skills and abilities regarding: assessment, intervention based on patient history and assessment, initiation and modification of complex situations and related therapies and interventions.
• Ability to provide information with consideration of mental, emotional, cultural, social and physical factors.
• Educational strategies to provide individual, family and group counseling, guidance and health promotion instructions to assist patients and family members to participate in their health care plan and maintain good health habits and prevention activities.
• Knowledge of a wide range of acute and chronic conditions and wellness/preventative services commonly found in a primary care setting serving antepartum, intrapartum, postpartum patients and newborns to toddlers. Provide expertise to families and mothers who are adopting infants and desire to breastfeed.
• Professional knowledge of health care principles, practices and procedures to assess health care needs of a wide variety of antepartum, intrapartum, postpartum patients and newborns to toddlers, requiring comprehensive care; ability to develop care plans incorporating several disciplines.
• Ability to utilize the principles of telephone and walk-in patient screening, advice, communications and documentation.
• Ability to recognize adverse signs and symptoms and to react swiftly and appropriately in emergency situations.
• Knowledge of pharmaceuticals and the effects on lactation for antepartum, intrapartum, postpartum patients and newborns to toddlers. Able to identify the appropriate route and dosing, desired effects, complications of use, and recognition of adverse reactions.
• Knowledge of managed care principles to include case, disease and demand management, access standards, and benefit entitlements.
• Knowledge of the internet to facilitate literature searches, reviews and professional networking.

SCOPE OF SERVICE

Actively promotes breastfeeding and assists mothers in reaching their own goals for breastfeeding.

• Develops and implements standards of care and guidelines for assisting breastfeeding mothers in all areas of the organization where they might be served
• Supports programs already in place (i.e. New Mothers Support Group, breastfeeding classes, etc.).

Plans, oversees and coordinates patient and family breastfeeding education activities in coordination with the Lead Lactation Consultant and the Executive Director.

• Provides antepartum, intrapartum and post-partum classes on breastfeeding, breast care and related topics to outpatients in a group or 1 to 1.
• Knowledgeable and skilled in the physiology and clinical management of breastfeeding.
• Assesses patient and family emotional, cognitive, social and motivational status relative to learning and determines their educational needs and priorities.
• Adjusts teaching plan to meet patient and family needs.
• Evaluates the effectiveness of patient and family education.
• Documents patient/family education and progress of the mother and baby in accordance with Pea Pod Nutrition and Lactation Support standards.
• Maintains professional growth in the area of educational techniques and acute/chronic/ wellness topics to maintain quality of patient education services.
• Accepts consults for the education of patients and family members in outpatient settings.

COMPLEXITY

• Independently assesses patient's breastfeeding condition and uses judgment to determine health care needs and appropriate action to be taken.
• Recognizes and responds appropriately to deviation form normal.
• Counsels and provides guidance on proper health care.
• Makes decisions and develops health care plans based on interpretation of the data, physical examinations and laboratory results.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

• Work requires extensive periods of talking, walking, standing, bending, pushing and some lifting of equipment.
• Work is performed in outpatient setting at one of 3 locations throughout metro Atlanta and surrounding areas or in patient homes.
• Exposure to infections and contagious disease is possible.
• Protective measures are followed and protective clothing is work as directed by the established policy.