Job Description
At Houston Methodist, the Lactation Support Consultant position functions at
the Proficient level according to Benners model of clinical practice and is
responsible for womens services patient educational needs to include breast
feeding support under the general supervision of the Nurse Director. In
addition to functioning as a staff nurse as needed, this position provides
professional patient nursing care to a diverse patient population and is
considered an expert in a specialty. In collaboration with the Nurse Director,
Managers and Charge Nurses, the Lactation Support Consultant position is
responsible for the quality of patient care through the provision of lactation
support or education and the development of guidance for the caregivers who
support the childbearing families learning needs. This position serves as a
clinical resource for both unit and hospital staff and coordinates unit and
hospital-wide education in partnership with management.
**PEOPLE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS**
* Utilizes strong knowledge base in lactation support or womens health to educate the patient in various settings, grief support as needed and the overall childbearing familys educational needs. Maintains an open line of communication with Nurse Director, Clinical Manager and Charge Nurses regarding actual or potential issues related to patient educationlactation.
* Provides consultative support to the staff and physicians and serves as a problem solver. Provides clinical resource expertise to clinicians and providers. Collaborates to foster healthy relationships in the work environment such as mitigation of conflict.
* Improves nurse satisfaction by serving as a role model and mentor, as evidenced by the annual RN-RN teamwork score and interprofessional relationship score.
**SERVICE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS**
* Assesses patients educational andor lactation support needs and provides clinical support and resources to maternal patients across the entity and in the community.
* Assesses for staff educational needs, then plans, develops, and implements programs related to patient educational needs to include lactation. Acts as a model and coaches staff in effective verbal, non-verbal and written communication, which includes active listening and teaching.
* Facilitates the planning, development and implementation of prenatal andor breastfeeding education classes, at the direction of leadership.
**QUALITYSAFETY ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS**
* Role models highly developed assessment, clinical documentation, leadership and analytical skills; integrates and contributes to professional practice standards, policies, procedures, protocols and leads improvements in patient safety-related processes. Contributes to development of service line and hospital standards and guidelines.
* Leads and supports ongoing initiatives to improve quality and safety scores on the unit and hospital scorecards, through peer-to-peer accountability, reporting near misses and identifying solutions by collaborating with the interprofessional team. Role models situational awareness, using teachable moments to improve safety.
* Follows the standards related to regulatory requirements and professional practice as outlined in the Houston Methodist Professional Nursing Practice document. Participates in the maternal andor neonatal QAPI meetings, collecting and analyzing data as appropriate.
**FINANCE ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS**
* Models independent time management effectively and prioritization of daily tasks. Actively participates in the stewardship and efficient utilization of resources and needs including unit capital and operational budgets.
* Contributes towards meeting department financial targets on unit-based scorecard through decreasing length of stay, optimizing efficiency and other areas according to department specifications.
**GROWTHINNOVATION ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS**
* Leads and identifies opportunities for practice changes and performance improvement. Investigates and incorporates evidence-based practices which are presented to shared governance and leadership. Functions willingly as a change agent, adapts to unexpected changes, converting ideas and plans into action.
* Actively participates in designated hospital and shared governance committees, disseminating necessary information to staff. Maintains personal professional development through organization membership, attendance at seminars, workshops and other educational programs, to ensure awareness of current developments and trends in patient educational needs. Completes and updates the individual development plan (IDP) on an on-going basis
This job description is not intended to be all-inclusive; the employee will
also perform other reasonably related businessjob duties as assigned. Houston
Methodist reserves the right to revise job duties and responsibilities as the
need arises.
**EDUCATION**
* Bachelor of Science degree from an accredited School of Nursing
**WORK EXPERIENCE**
* Three years clinical experience in lactation support, motherbaby andor patient educational activitiesprograms
**LICENSES AND CERTIFICATIONS - REQUIRED**
* RN - Registered Nurse - Texas State Licensure andor Compact State Licensure within 60 days **OR**
* RN-Temp - Registered Nurse - Temporary State Licensure within 60 days **AND**
* BLS - Basic Life Support (AHA) **AND**
* NRP - Neonatal Resuscitation **AND**
* Magnet - ANCC Recognized Certification -- in a womens services specialty. International Board-Certified Lactation Consultant (IBCLC) is preferred. **OR**
* CLC - Certified Lactation Counselor (ALPP) ****
**KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES**
* Demonstrates the skills and competencies necessary to safely perform the assigned job, determined through on-going skills, competency assessments, and performance evaluations
* Sufficient proficiency in speaking, reading, and writing the English language necessary to perform the essential functions of this job, especially with regard to activities impacting patient or employee safety or security
* Ability to effectively communicate with patients, physicians, family members and co-workers in a manner consistent with a customer service focus and application of positive language principles
* Ability to build evidence-based practice into the clinical setting
* Demonstrates ability to plan, organize, and follow through on assignments andor projects
* Exhibits leadership abilities including collaborative, consultative and coaching skills
**SUPPLEMENTAL REQUIREMENTS**
**WORK ATTIRE**
* Uniform No
* Scrubs Yes
* Business professional Yes
* Other (department approved) No
**ON-CALL***
_*Note that employees may be required to be on-call during emergencies (ie.
DIsaster, Severe Weather Events, etc) regardless of selection below._
* On Call* No
**TRAVEL****
_**Travel specifications may vary by department**_
* May require travel within the Houston Metropolitan area No
* May require travel outside Houston Metropolitan area No
**Company Profile:**
Houston Methodist Willowbrook Hospital is a Magnet-recognized, not-for-profit,
faith-based hospital that serves the growing Northwest Houston community. With
358 licensed beds, Houston Methodist Willowbrook is committed to providing
quality, cost-effective health care in a compassionate environment for a full
range of services, including emergency care, cardiology, orthopedics and
sports medicine, comprehensive women’s services, neurology and neurosurgery,
oncology, and primary and general medicine.
Houston Methodist is an equal opportunity employer inclusive of women,
minorities, disabled persons and veterans.
**Equal Employment Opportunity**
Houston Methodist is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
Equal employment opportunity is a sound and just concept to which Houston
Methodist is firmly bound. Houston Methodist will not engage in discrimination
against or harassment of any person employed or seeking employment with
Houston Methodist on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual
orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, status as a
protected veteran or other characteristics protected by law. VEVRAA Federal
Contractor – priority referral Protected Veterans requested.
Job Tags
Full time, Temporary work, For contractors, Work experience placement, Relief, Immediate start,