Lactation Consultant - Obstetric Services

UC Health is hiring a Part- time Lactation Consultant for the Obstetric Services at West Chester.

The OBSCU serves a diverse patient population and wide range of diagnoses throughout patients’ pregnancies, including but not limited to diabetic management, cardiac complications such as cardiomyopathy, preterm labor, preeclampsia, and more. The OBSCU is a fast-paced work environment in which each day will teach you something new.

About West Chester Hospital

West Chester Hospital provides its patients with access to the region’s largest group of specialized physicians and medical providers. With a reputation for providing outstanding patient experiences and quality medical care, the hospital consistently ranks amongst the top 5% in the nation.

• Required- IBCLC Certification by International Board of Lactation Consultant Examiners

• BLS within 90 days of employment 

• Minimum Required: 3 - 5 years' experience providing assessment intervention and planning in the areas of nutrition, health education, lactation services to patients receiving care in an OBGYN facility/program.

• High School Diploma, or GED, minimum required.

• Bachelor's Degree preferred. 

Hours: Part time 12 hrs/week

Shift: Varies

Join our team as a Lactation Consultant and work alongside the best and brightest clinical teams collaborating toward our common purpose: to advance healing and reduce suffering.  

Join our team to BE UC Health. Be Extraordinary. Be Supported. Be Hope. Apply Today! 

About UC Health

UC Health is an integrated academic health system serving Greater Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky. In partnership with the University of Cincinnati, UC Health combines clinical expertise and compassion with research and teaching—a combination that provides patients with options for even the most complex situations. Members of UC Health include: UC Medical Center, West Chester Hospital, University of Cincinnati Physicians and UC Health Ambulatory Services (with more than 900 board-certified clinicians and surgeons), Lindner Center of HOPE and several specialized institutes including: UC Gardner Neuroscience Institute and the University of Cincinnati Cancer Center. Many UC Health locations have received national recognition for outstanding quality and patient satisfaction. Learn more at uchealth.com. 

At UC Health, we're proud to have the best and brightest teams and clinicians collaborating toward our common purpose: to advance healing and reduce suffering.

As the region's adult academic health system, we strive for innovation and provide world-class care for not only our community, but patients from all over the world. Join our team and you'll be able to develop your skills, grow your career, build relationships with your peers and patients, and help us be a source of hope for our friends and neighbors.

UC Health is an EEO employer.

The Lactation Consultant is responsible for providing safe, family-centered patient care by assessing, planning, implementing, and evaluating lactation plans for the breastfeeding/chest-feeding dyad, as well as for the pumping parent, and is fully collaborative with the patient, patient’s family, significant others, and members of the health care team. The Lactation Consultant demonstrates specialized knowledge and clinical expertise in breastfeeding/chest-feeding and human lactation. 

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

Provides antepartum, intrapartum and post partum classes on breastfeeding, breast care and related topics to inpatients and/or outpatients in a group or 1 to 1.

Serves as the consultant for Maternal-Infant Health Services regarding breastfeeding issues.

Serves as a liaison/resource and/or case manager.

Participates in Quality Improvement, Total Quality Management and research processes which result in the improvement of clinical interventions.

As an integral member of the Health Care Team, the Lactation Consultant functions within the Scope of Practice as defined by the International Board of Lactation Consultant Examiners (IBLCE) and follows Standards of Practice as defined by their professional association, International Lactation Consultant Association, and adheres to policies, procedures, and guidelines of care.

PATIENT POPULATION - (CLINICAL ONLY):

Engages in population appropriate communication.

Has knowledge of growth and development milestones and tasks.

Gives clear instructions to patients/family regarding treatment.

Involves family/guardian in the assessment, initial treatment and continuing care of the patient.

Identifies any physical limitations of the patient and deploys intervention when necessary.

Recognizes and responds appropriately to patients/families with behavioral health problems.

Interprets population related data and plans care appropriately.

Identifies and responds appropriately to different needs resulting from, unique psychological needs or those associated with religious / cultural norms. Performs treatments, administers medication or operates equipment safely.

Recognizes and responds to signs/symptoms of abuse or neglect.

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 (emergency department, OB/GYN, family health centers, employee health, women’s health, nurseries, internal medicine, etc.).

Supports educational programs, breastfeeding classes, Baby Steps, Childbirth Education classes, new mother support groups, etc.

Organizes information and posters for activities to promote breastfeeding.

Participates in the development of the individual plan of care.

Informs patients / clients of available referral services. Provides interventions as recommended in the plan of care

Plans, oversees and coordinates patient, family and staff breastfeeding education activities in coordination with Maternal Infant Health care services.

Responsible to the Women’s Health Service line ACNO / Director for patient care education.

Provides and coordinates didactic education to all patients who require breastfeeding information in accordance with current research literature and national standards of care,

Establishes reviews and updates educational content on a variety of medications and maternal and infant conditions to include cleft palate, cleft lip, micro-premies, etc.

Reviews and updates information regarding wellness topics such as nutrition, preventative services, and exercise to promote good health habits and increase patient compliance with the health care plan.

Implements and maintains a reference library of breastfeeding materials appropriate for both health-care providers and mothers interested in learning more about lactation.

Responsible for maintaining and updating files, in appropriate locations, of journal articles and obtaining references works that include the latest information on lactation in a variety of contexts and circumstances.

Develops or obtains suitable educational materials to facilitate patient understanding of content.

Provides antepartum, intrapartum and post partum classes on breastfeeding, breast care and related topics to inpatients and/or 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 o f patient and family education.

Documents patient/family education and progress of the mother and baby in accordance with hospital 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 the inpatient or outpatient settings.

Evaluates equipment related to breastfeeding and maintains the breastfeeding room.

Supports hospital employees who are breastfeeding.

Plans, oversees and coordinates annual and as needed education.

Reviews care routines, policies, procedures and/or other aspects of the mother-baby hospital experience with involved clinical staff in order to highlight successes or needs of lactating mothers and their breastfeeding infants.

Responsible for coordinating staff competency activities and documentation of activities in staff education folders.

Develops a reference library for staff use.

Serves as the consultant for Maternal-Infant Health Services regarding breastfeeding issues.

Establishes and maintains a telephone line to provide contact with patients who require assistance or those referred for outpatient assistance.

Establishes and maintains a regular follow-up system of continuing care for mothers and their infants first seen in the hospital. Patient contact may be made via patient visits, telephone calls, post cards or letters.

Develops documentation record to track patient progress/concerns.

Screens walk-in patients and telephone calls to assess severity of patient condition and requirements for physician intervention.

Communicates with physicians regarding patient condition and disposition and documents events appropriately.

Screens patient records and performs patient interviews to assess the medical and obstetrical history and determine the health care needs.

Performs psychosocial assessment of patient and family to identify significant cultural, spiritual, financial or emotional factors, which may affect health care plan.

Recognizes sub-optimal changes in status and symptoms that require follow-up and reports to physician.

Completes required paperwork to document activities.

Serves as a liaison/resource and/or case manager.

Offers case conferences that highlight particular needs of lactating mothers and their breastfeeding infants for OB/GYN and/or Newborn / Neonatal patients.

Coordinates Breastfeeding Committee and facilitates Breastfeeding Support Groups.

Coordinates patient care services between clinic providers, specialists, pharmacy and other ancillary services.

Coordinates patient referral to support services provided through Baby Steps, Centering Pregnancy, other networks, and the community.

Assists and provides support to patients as necessary in obtaining services

Participates in community activities.

Member of the local Lactation Consultants Association and attends quarterly meetings.

Member of hospital-wide lactation group and attends quarterly meetings.

Participates in Quality Improvement, Total Quality Management and research processes which result in the improvement of clinical interventions.

Identifies problems, designs projects, collects data, analyzes data, tracks workload and processes results.

Applies generated information to health care practice with the goal of improving utilization and clinical outcomes.

Conducts annual audits to determine breastfeeding initiation and continuation rates and the effects of change in protocols.