Registered Nurse, Lactation Consultant (NICU)

Sinai Health; Toronto; On-site; CAD 80,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

Sinai Health's Mount Sinai Hospital in Toronto is seeking a Registered Nurse, Lactation Consultant (NICU) to support feeding practices for premature and critically ill newborns. You will consult with mothers, educate families on breastfeeding and pumping, and collaborate with the care team to monitor feeding outcomes.

Join a high-acuity NICU that emphasizes Family Integrated Care and supports ongoing NICU skill development within Canada’s largest Women’s and Infants' high-risk centre.

Qualifications

• Current certificate of registration with the College of Nurses of Ontario (CNO).
• Graduate of a CNO-approved bachelor’s degree in nursing program, or equivalent education/experience.
• Active Neonatal Resuscitation Program (NRP) provider status; complete within 3 months if not already.
• International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) certification; must be completed within 1 year of hire.

Responsibilities

• Provides consultation and infant feeding support to mothers in the NICU.
• Educates parents on breastfeeding techniques, troubleshooting, and maintaining milk supply.
• Collaborates with multidisciplinary teams to develop and implement individualized care plans for neonates.
• Provides emotional support and reassurance to families navigating NICU care.
• Monitors and documents feeding progress and adjusts strategies to optimize nutrition and growth.
• Performs other duties consistent with the job classification.

Skills

Communication skills

Empathy

Team collaboration

Critical thinking

Interpersonal skills

Patient-centered care

Documentation skills

Education

Bachelor of Science in Nursing

CNO registration/licensure

Job description

Are you ready to make a meaningful impact in neonatal care? As a Registered Nurse, Lactation Consultant (NICU) in Mount Sinai Hospital, you will play a crucial role in the care and development of our most vulnerable patients. Your expertise will be pivotal in ensuring optimal feeding practices, enhancing the health outcomes of critically ill newborns. This role encompass both clinical and supportive responsibilities, focused on the unique needs of premature and critically ill infants and their families. Help shape the first chapter of a baby's life and contribute to our mission of delivering exceptional care in our cutting-edge NICU facility.

Is this you?

Establishing rapport and trust with patients and families is something you find fulfilling. Your strong communication skills allow you to offer effective guidance and support to parents on lactation-related topics such as breastfeeding and pumping techniques. You demonstrate empathy and understanding, making patients feel heard and supported during their NICU journey.

You believe in the importance of thorough preparation. Our detailed and extensive nursing orientation program is designed to equip you with the knowledge to independently care for both premature and full-term infants. The orientation includes competency-based training to ensure you feel confident and ready for this role.

You have a deep commitment to supporting the health and development of newborns, especially those in critical conditions. Our NICU, part of the largest Women’s and Infants' high-risk centre in Canada, provides you an opportunity to encounter a variety of unique cases that may not be available elsewhere.

About our NICU

The NICU consists of 2 levels of specialized care: Level III and Level II. The NICU has 62 beds and provides care for infants who require assisted ventilation, intravenous nutrition, intensive cardiorespiratory monitoring and/or close nursing and medical care. Each year our team provides care for approximately 1,100 neonates. Family Integrated Care (FICare) is the philosophy that guides how we provide care for the infants in our NICU. This means parents are viewed as an integral part of the NICU team providing active care for their infant, instead of being in a passive support role.

In this role you will:

• Provides consultation and infant feeding support to mothers of infants in the NICU
• Educate and counsel parents on breastfeeding techniques, troubleshooting common issues, and maintaining milk supply
• Collaborate with multidisciplinary teams to develop and implement individualized care plans for neonates
• Provide emotional support and reassurance to families, helping them navigate the challenges of neonatal care and lactation
• Monitor and document the progress of feeding practices and outcomes, adjusting strategies as needed to optimize infant nutrition and growth
• Perform other duties consistent with the job classification, as required

Job Requirements:

Mandatory

• Current certificate of registration with the College of Nurses of Ontario (CNO)
• Graduate of a CNO-approved bachelor’s degree in nursing program, or equivalent combined education and experience
• Active Neonatal Resuscitation Program (NRP) provider status; applicants not currently enrolled in the NRP program may be considered – as a condition of hire the NRP course must be successfully completed within three (3) months of hire
• International Board Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) certification. Applicants that have not completed this certification may be considered. This ICBLC certification must be successfully completed within 1 year of hire

Preferred

• A baccalaureate degree from a CNO-approved nursing program. Applicants in their final year or near completion will be considered
• 1-2 years of recent Neonatal and/or Level 2 nursing experience; consideration for hire may also be given to nursing graduates who have completed their consolidation in NICU or Paediatric Intensive Care
• Completion of or current enrollment in neonatal specialty certificate preferred. Applicants with less than one (1) year of NICU experience are encouraged to obtain their NICU specialty certificate

Skills and Knowledge

• Commitment to professional practice and personal development
• Commitment to shared leadership and team based decision making
• Demonstrated excellent critical thinking, decision making and problem solving skills
• Superior interpersonal and communication skills
• Commitment to patient and family centred care
• Demonstrated satisfactory work performance and attendance history