Lactation Consultant - RN

Carilion Clinic•Roanoke, VA

About The Position

The Lactation Consultant assumes primary accountability for coordinating and providing individualized lactation care for patients in both inpatient and outpatient settings. Utilizes delegation and critical thinking skills to deliver high-quality, patient-centered care through a collaborative team approach. Provides compassionate, culturally sensitive, and comprehensive lactation assessments, interventions, documentation, and education for diverse age groups. The Lactation Consultant Assesses, plans, implements, and evaluates breastfeeding care to achieve optimal outcomes for mother/infant dyads. Ensures complete, accurate, and timely documentation of care. Collaborates with patients, families, and healthcare team members to develop, implement, and evaluate age-specific plans of care and revises plans based on changing patient status. Identifies caregiver educational needs and incorporates them into the care plan. Serves as a patient advocate and provides psychosocial, cultural, and emotional support. Applies knowledge of growth and development in providing age-appropriate care. Uses and maintains breastfeeding equipment and devices appropriately. Completes activities related to the rental or sale of items in the Lactation Retail Center. Plans, teaches, and evaluates breastfeeding classes for parents and families. Provides evidence-based lactation information and participates in staff education, inservices, and orientation of students and new staff. Assists with departmental education activities as assigned. Uses problem-solving methods to support patient and staff needs.

Requirements

Education: Graduate of an accredited nursing program.
Experience: One year of maternal/child experience in an acute care setting where lactation skills were utilized. Completion of clinical and didactic lactation training is required.
Licensure/Certification: Must be currently licensed as a Registered Nurse in the Commonwealth of Virginia. IBCLC certification is required within 12 months of hire and must be maintained.
Life Support: Must obtain and maintain AHA BLS-HCP.
Must demonstrate clinical expertise in rapidly changing circumstances and the ability to educate patients, families, and staff.
Must demonstrate strong lactation assessment skills; adherence to professional practice standards and the IBLCE Code of Ethics; participation in continuing education; and ability to maintain required competencies.
Must demonstrate effective communication, teaching, leadership, and problem-solving skills.
Must maintain confidentiality and work effectively with patients, families, and the healthcare team.
May be required to provide care at multiple Carilion facilities.

Responsibilities

Coordinating and providing individualized lactation care for patients in both inpatient and outpatient settings.
Delivering high-quality, patient-centered care through a collaborative team approach.
Providing compassionate, culturally sensitive, and comprehensive lactation assessments, interventions, documentation, and education for diverse age groups.
Assesses, plans, implements, and evaluates breastfeeding care to achieve optimal outcomes for mother/infant dyads.
Ensuring complete, accurate, and timely documentation of care.
Collaborating with patients, families, and healthcare team members to develop, implement, and evaluate age-specific plans of care and revises plans based on changing patient status.
Identifying caregiver educational needs and incorporates them into the care plan.
Serving as a patient advocate and provides psychosocial, cultural, and emotional support.
Applying knowledge of growth and development in providing age-appropriate care.
Using and maintaining breastfeeding equipment and devices appropriately.
Completing activities related to the rental or sale of items in the Lactation Retail Center.
Planning, teaching, and evaluating breastfeeding classes for parents and families.
Providing evidence-based lactation information and participates in staff education, inservices, and orientation of students and new staff.
Assisting with departmental education activities as assigned.
Using problem-solving methods to support patient and staff needs.