Certified Breastfeeding Peer Counselor, Postpartum, PER DIEM

Boston Medical Center (BMC) is more than a hospital. It is a network of support and care that touches the lives of hundreds of thousands of people in need each year. It is the largest and busiest provider of trauma and emergency services in New England. Emphasizing community-based care, BMC is committed to providing consistently excellent and accessible health services to all—and is the largest safety-net hospital in New England. The hospital is also the primary teaching affiliate of the nationally ranked Boston University School of Medicine (BUSM) and a founding partner of Boston HealthNet – an integrated health care delivery system that includes many community health centers. Join BMC today and help us achieve our Vision 2030, a long-term goal to make Boston the healthiest urban population in the world.

Position: Certified Breastfeeding Peer Counselor

Department: Mother Baby

Schedule: Per Diem

POSITION SUMMARY:

Assists new parents and expectant parents with initiation and support to optimize breastfeeding techniques. Provides birthing person with culturally and linguistically appropriate breastfeeding support. Provides basic breastfeeding information, including the benefits of breastfeeding, overcoming common barriers, getting a good start breastfeeding, preventing and handling common breastfeeding concerns, etc. Assists parents in identifying support services in the community. The Certified Breastfeeding Peer Counselor works under the supervision and mentorship of the IBCLC to support and educate breastfeeding patients to meet their breastfeeding goals. The CLC will be actively engaged in obtaining the needed supervised hours and academic credits to sit for the IBCLC certification exam.

ESSENTIAL RESPONSIBILITIES / DUTIES:

• Provides encouragement, emotional support and information regarding breastfeeding to parents, assists birthing persons to enjoy a positive breastfeeding experience.
• Must be enthusiastic about breastfeeding, and wants to help the birthing person and family enjoy a positive experience aimed at meeting their individual infant feeding goals.
• Provides basic breastfeeding information- i.e. benefits, feeding cues, frequency, signs of adequate lactation. Assists with basic breastfeeding management – i.e. skin to skin, positioning, latch. Provides information as per the institution’s Lactation Consultant Referral Guidelines.
• Provides coaching one- on-one.
• Assist birthing persons to set up and use breast pumps. Provide information on pumping and storing of breast milk.
• Assists patients in identifying support services in the community, including information on obtaining personal use breast pumps.
• Identifies breastfeeding experiences that are not the norm, and immediately refers any issues to the appropriate person.
• Documents interventions in EPIC patient chart.
• Participates in events – i.e. workshops, conferences to promote breastfeeding benefits.
• Function and contribute as a member of the health care team, provide follow-up plans, and make appropriate referrals to other health care providers and community support resources.
• Maintain and enhance knowledge and skills with appropriate and regular continuing education.
• Conforms to hospital standards of performance and conduct, including those pertaining to patient rights, so that the best possible customer service and patient care may be provided.
• Utilizes hospital's behavioral standards as the basis for decision making and to facilitate the division and the hospital’s mission and Follows established hospital infection control and safety procedures.
• Assists in other related areas within scope of skills.

Must adhere to all of BMC’s RESPECT behavioral standards.

(The above statements in this job description are intended to depict the general nature and level of work assigned to the employee(s) in this job. The above is not intended to represent an exhaustive list of accountable duties and responsibilities required).

JOB REQUIREMENTS

EDUCATION:

High School Diploma or GED. Additional formal education a plus, preferably within Health Sciences.

Applicable life experience and/or language skills may be substituted on a case-by-case basis.

CERTIFICATES, LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS REQUIRED:

Certified Lactation Counselor or Breastfeeding Peer Counselor certificate.

*May be obtained through Nursing Mother’s Council/BACE Current Breastfeeding Management, Center for Breastfeeding Lactation Counselor Certificate Training, or Le Leche League Leader Training.

EXPERIENCE:

Minimum of 1 year experience as a CLC or peer breastfeeding counselor.

KNOWLEDGE AND SKILLS:

• Excellent written and verbal fluency .
• Strong interpersonal skills to explain procedures and to allay the apprehension of clients; and to interact effectively with patients, families, visitors, physicians, managers, colleagues, and other staff.
• Must be enthusiastic about breastfeeding, and wants to help other mothers enjoy a positive experience.
• Ability to be non-judgmental and accepting of others and able to exercise tact and good judgment in working with wide range of social, racial and ethnic populations.
• Must be able to maintain strict protocols of all confidential or sensitive information.

Equal Opportunity Employer/Disabled/Veterans

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