Full Time Lactation Consultant
WVU Medicine
Quick overview
The role focuses on protecting and promoting breastfeeding through education, clinical support, and inpatient consultation for mothers and families. Responsibilities include performing assessments of mother-baby couplets and developing breastfeeding policies and standards of practice.
Requirements summary
Candidates must be a Registered Nurse with at least five years of nursing experience, including three years in maternal/infant care. Required certifications include BLS and either CLC or IBCLC certification within six months of hire.
Job description
- Welcome!
- We’re excited you’re considering an opportunity with us!
- To apply to this position and be considered, click the Apply button located above this message and complete the application in full.
- Below, you’ll find other important information about this position.
- This position is a health care professional that specializes in the protection, promotion and support of breastfeeding through various methods of education, instruction, and follow-up of the breastfeeding couplet.
- The overall goals of this role are to enable mothers and families to make informed infant feeding choices, initiate and maintain lactation, overcome obstacles, prevent premature weaning and enhancement of maternal role satisfaction.
Minimum Qualifications
EDUCATION, CERTIFICATION, AND/OR LICENSURE: 1. Current Registered Nurse license issued by the state in which services will be provided or current multi-state Registered Nurse license through the enhanced Nurse Licensure Compact (eNLC). 2. Obtain certification in Basic Life Support within 30 days of hire date. 3. Obtain Certified Lactation Counselor Certification through Academy of Lactation Policy and Practice OR Board Certified Lactation Consultant Certification through International Board of Lactation Consultant Examiners within six (6) months of hire date. EXPERIENCE: 1. Five (5) years of nursing experience with at least three (3) years of experience in maternal/infant care.
Preferred Qualifications
EDUCATION, CERTIFICATION, AND/OR LICENSURE: 1. Bachelor’s degree in Nursing (BSN). EXPERIENCE: 1. Five (5) years of experience in maternal/infant care. CORE DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES: The statements described here are intended to describe the general nature of work being performed by people assigned to this position. They are not intended to be constructed as an all-inclusive list of all responsibilities and duties. Other duties may be assigned. 1. Promotes breastfeeding advocacy through planned educational opportunities directed toward the roles of maternal, family and health care workers. 2. Provides parent education for informed choice of infant feeding; nutritional recommendations for lactation; and the effects of medications, recreational drugs, herbs and home remedies related to lactation and infant health. 3. Provides staff education through adult learning principles and on-going mentoring. 4. Assures the delivery of comprehensive breastfeeding clinical support through the coordination and provision of expert patient care. 5. Provides inpatient consultation (including the emergency department) with mothers who are breastfeeding or intend to breastfeed. 6. Performs assessment of the mother-baby couplet identifying possible conditions or difficulties based on history, interview, and assessment. 7. Provides information and problem-solving ideas to resolve breastfeeding difficulties through personal interaction and demonstration. 8. Provides emotional support and crisis intervention directly to mothers and through staff mentoring. 9. Acts as a breastfeeding advocate for the patient, incorporating the understanding of cultural differences related to breastfeeding couplet. 10. Participates in the development and enhancement of policies, procedures, and standards of practice regarding breastfeeding. 11. Collects data for quality improvement activities and assists in developing and analyzing data, integrating information into clinical nursing practices. 12. Participates in research that may improve patient care. PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS: The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. 1. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health recommends minimizing the need for employees to manually lift patients, and limit safe patient handling to 35 pounds. All transfers, lifts and re-positioning will be completed utilizing the lift equipment and/or other patient handling aids as indicated by the patient’s profile and appropriate algorithms. 2. Heavy/Hard work: Work requires strength and/or stamina, lifting, moving, stooping, reaching, standing, walking, and carrying of materials and equipment weighing 35+lbs WORKING ENVIRONMENT: The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. 1. Working closely with others. 2. Working protracted or irregular hours. 3. Working around biohazards. 4. Working around infectious diseases. 5. Working with hands in water. 6. Working with electrical hazards associated with patient care equipment. SKILLS AND ABILITIES: 1. Knowledge of relevant scientific principles, established standards of care and/or research findings. 2. Knowledge of procedures and techniques involved in administering routine and special treatments to patients. 3. Knowledge of and appropriate application of the nursing process. 4. Knowledge of professional theory, practice and procedure. 5. Ability to communicate clearly with patients, families, physicians, and other employees. Additional
Job Description
Scheduled Weekly Hours: 40 Shift: Varied (United States of America) Exempt/Non-Exempt: United States of America (Exempt) Company: UNTWN Uniontown Hospital Cost Center: 29 UNTWN Birthing Center Address: 500 W Berkeley Street Uniontown Pennsylvania Equal Opportunity Employer West Virginia University Health System and its subsidiaries (collectively "WVUHS") is an equal opportunity employer and complies with all applicable federal, state, and local fair employment practices laws. WVUHS strictly prohibits and does not tolerate discrimination against employees, applicants, or any other covered persons because of race, color, religion, creed, national origin or ancestry, ethnicity, sex (including gender, pregnancy, sexual orientation, and gender identity), age, physical or mental disability, citizenship, past, current, or prospective service in the uniformed services, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected under applicable federal, state, or local law. All WVUHS employees, other workers, and representatives are prohibited from engaging in unlawful discrimination. This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including, but not limited to, hiring, training, promotion, discipline, compensation, benefits, and termination of employment. Thank you for your interest in working for WVUM. Please explore our open opportunities in the list below and apply for any positions in which you would like to be considered. You'll be able to keep track of your progress on our site. The West Virginia University Health System is West Virginia’s largest health system and the state’s largest employer with more than 3,400 licensed beds, 4,600 providers, 35,000 employees, and $7 billion in total operating revenues. The Health System is comprised of 25 hospitals – including J.W. Ruby Memorial Hospital, an 880-bed academic medical center, and the 150-bed WVU Medicine Children’s Hospital in Morgantown, West Virginia – and five institutes. To learn more, visit WVUMedicine.org.