Lactation Consultant - Registered Nurse (RN)

MedStar Health; Leonardtown (MD); On-site; USD 59,000 - 108,000; Full time

Job summary

MedStar Health seeks a Lactation Consultant to provide professional guidance to breastfeeding mothers and their families. Role includes inpatient rounds, outpatient consultations, and community education to support optimal lactation outcomes.

The candidate will teach prenatal classes, support groups, and staff education while collaborating with OB/nursing teams to ensure quality breast feeding services across the MedStar Health system.

Qualifications

• Experience in lactation education or counseling preferred.
• Ability to teach adults in various settings and adapt to audiences.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills for patient education.

Responsibilities

• Provide lactation guidance to nursing mothers and infants to support successful breastfeeding relationships.
• Conduct lactation rounds for inpatient maternity patients and follow up post-discharge calls.
• Maintain breast pump rental/sales program and educate staff on hospital pumping program.

Skills

Teaching experience

Lactation knowledge

Communication skills

Education

Bachelor's degree in a related field

Bachelor's degree in Nursing

Job description

About the Job

General Summary of Position

Reports to the Director of WHFBC. Renders professional guidance to provide optimum assistance to nursing mothers and their infants to attain a successful nursing relationship. Functions as an adult educator in a variety of settings and with a variety of audiences. The Lactation Consultant functions as a teacher facilitator and coach and demonstrates expertise in theories methods and strategies relative to adult learning.

Primary Duties and Responsibilities

• Develops and contributes to the achievement of established program goals and objectives and adheres to department policies procedures quality standards and safety standards. Ensures compliance with hospital/facility policies and procedures and governmental/accreditation regulations.
• Responsible for providing lactation rounds for MedStar St. Mary's Hospital maternity inpatients to include assessing needs providing appropriate interventions/services post hospital follow-up calls and patient outcome documentation. Maintain a telephone warm-line for outpatient breastfeeding mothers and ensuring that all calls are returned within 48 hours.
• Serve as a resource and maintain good working relationships with internal and external physicians nurses and clinical professionals working within the OB field.
• Maintain breast pump rental and sales program. Orient employees returning to work to the hospital pumping program.
• Coordinate and participate in breastfeeding support groups related educational programs and community outreach. Facilitate weekly breastfeeding support group monthly working mother support group.
• Provide one on one outpatient consultations with parents within scope of practice for IBCLC certification as part of the health care team continuum.
• Teach prenatal breastfeeding classes Parents-to-Be classes and community events as needed. In-service staff to reinforce and update lactation knowledge as needed. Develop and present education lectures for the community.
• Serve on hospital committees as assigned such as the Breastfeeding Friendly Hospital Initiative.
• Actively participates in Quality Improvement Processes as a basis for assisting with the implementation of changes in practice. Responsible for generation of CQI data on breastfeeding.

Minimal Qualifications

Education

• Bachelor's degree in a related field. required
• Bachelor's degree in Nursing. preferred

Experience

• Teaching experience preferred

Licenses and Certifications

• RN - Registered Nurse - State Licensure and/or Compact State Licensure in Maryland required
• IBCLC - International Board Certified Lactation Consultant within 1 Year required

This position has a hiring range of

USD $42.82 - USD $78.27 /Hr.