Lactation Counselor

County of Mecklenburg, NC•Charlotte, NC

5d•$25 - $33

About The Position

Provide consultation and emotional support for pregnant women and new mothers who are currently breastfeeding or plan to do so. This position, under general supervision, is responsible for providing lactation counseling services through various channels associated with the Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) program.

Requirements

Minimum of two years of directly related experience
High School Diploma or equivalent
Satisfactory completion of state approved Lactation Peer Counseling Training Course (required post hire).
May require a valid North Carolina or South Carolina Driver's License
May require the ability to obtain and maintain a valid Mecklenburg County Operator's Permit
Knowledge of Breastfeeding principles and practices
Knowledge of Breastfeeding safety principles and practices
Knowledge of Quality control principles and practices
Skills Delivering breastfeeding programs
Skills Implementing breastfeeding procedures
Skills Monitoring quality control issues
Abilities Applied Learning: Assimilating and applying new job-related information in a timely manner
Abilities Building Trust: Interacting with others in a way that instills confidence in one’s intentions and those of the organization
Abilities Communication: Clearly conveying information and ideas through a variety of media to individuals or groups in a manner that engages the audience and helps them understand and retain the information pro
Abilities Patient Education/Health Promotion: Supporting, explaining, and instructing patient and patient’s family (significant other, care giver, etc.) in understanding the clinical procedures and equipment used to facilitate optimum health status; promoting the lifestyle changes required of the patient and the patient’s family to achieve optimum health status
Abilities Patient Relations: Meeting patient and patient family needs; taking responsibility for a patient’s safety, satisfaction, and clinical outcomes; using appropriate interpersonal techniques to resolve difficult patient situations and regain patient confidence
Abilities Planning and Organizing: Establishing courses of action for self and others to ensure that work is completed efficiently
Proficient in various computer applications including Microsoft Office Suite

Nice To Haves

Bilingual (Spanish/English) preferred but not required.

Responsibilities

Provide lactation education, counseling, support and consistent follow-up contacts with clients during pregnancy, pre and post birth, and throughout the lactation process
Schedule client appointments; coordinate intakes and transfers; assess income and residence for WIC certification; and maintain proper chart documentation
Obtain and document client anthropometric measures, including hemoglobin / hematocrit, and health history accurately
Counsel program approved clients who are pregnant and/or breastfeeding
Evaluate, log and maintain appropriate documentation of breastfeeding equipment and supply issuance
Provide general lactation information and support to new mothers
Educate mothers on how to prevent and handle common concerns
Make referrals to other agencies as needed and keep accurate records of all contacts with mothers and their families
Be available outside of normal clinic hours
Respond in cases of urgent and/or emergent events that require public health interventions. Employees may be trained for and assigned duties unrelated to their regular work; work outside normal business hours and workdays and/or in a different work location may be required. Emergency events include, but are not limited to, communicable disease outbreaks, severe weather situations (e.g. snow or ice storms, tornados, hurricanes), natural disasters (e.g. earthquakes), fire, or power outages, and acts of terrorism.