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Job Description

Business Unit: Rush Medical Center

Hospital: Rush University Medical Center

Department: Neonatal ICU-NICU

**Work Type:** Full Time (Total FTE between 0.9 and 1.0)

**Shift:** Shift 1

**Work Schedule:** 12 Hr (7:00:00 AM - 7:00:00 PM)

Rush offers exceptional rewards and benefits learn more at our Rush benefits page (https://www.rush.edu/rush-careers/employee-benefits).

**Pay Range:** $16.48 - $25.96 per hour

Rush salaries are determined by many factors including, but not limited to, education, job-related experience and skills, as well as internal equity and industry specific market data. The pay range for each role reflects Rush’s anticipated wage or salary reasonably expected to be offered for the position. Offers may vary depending on the circumstances of each case.

Summary:

Under the direct supervision of the Project Manager, Breastfeeding Peer Counselor Program (Manager), the Director for Clinical Research and Lactation (Director), and the Unit Director (as appropriate) the Certified Breastfeeding Peer Counselor will provide basic lactation information and services to mothers whose infants are cared for in the NICU at RUMC, and women in the high-risk antepartum setting. The Breastfeeding Peer Counselor I will promptly document in all appropriate areas of infant and maternal record as well as in staff communication logs after each interaction or completed task. The Breastfeeding Peer Counselor I will also make home visits to selected mothers following discharge of the infant from the NICU. Exemplifies the Rush mission, vision and values and acts in accordance with Rush policies and procedures.

Other information:

Required Job Qualifications:

• Certification as a Breastfeeding Peer Counselor through La Leche League or other approved agency.

• Ability to communicate effectively with women and families from a variety of ethnic, cultural, and economic backgrounds.

• Ability to work collaboratively with Rush NICU physicians, nurses, social workers, fellow breastfeeding peer counselors, and other healthcare providers.

• Ability to work efficiently and complete assignments independently and with excellent attention to detail.

• Ability to meet the lactation coverage needs of the NICU.

Preferred Job Qualifications:

• Mother of infant(s) cared for in the Rush Special Care Nursery

Responsibilities:

1. Demonstrates entry level lactation skills.

2. Contacts each new mother whose infant is admitted to NICU within 24 hours and outlines primary features of the Rush Mothers’ Milk Club® Program.

3. Meets in person with each mother within 24 hours after delivery and explains evidence for providing mothers’ milk to infants in the NICU; outlines key components of the Rush Mothers’ Milk Club® Program.

4. Provides a copy and thoroughly reviews the Welcome to the Rush Mothers’ Milk Club® brochure contents and describes her own photos/story and role as a peer counselor.

5. Maintains an active presence in the NICU to reach out to mothers and staff to provide ongoing lactation support and assistance.

6. Continually circulates through all areas of the NICU during each shift to provide regular contact with pumping or breastfeeding mothers; responds quickly when paged or contacted to provide lactation assistance, support, or information.

7. Present in NICU throughout shift to offer and assist and educate families and staff regarding all lactation or breastfeeding concerns.

8. Assists with maintaining safety and management of expressed human milk to be fed in the NICU.

9. Reviews breast pump use, principles of milk synthesis and removal, and collection and storage.

10. Provides an in-person breast pump assessment on the day of delivery to ensure that each mother is using the breast pump and pieces properly, understands use of collection equipment, milk expression schedule, and My Mom Pumps for Me!® milk volume diaries.

11. Assists each mother in obtaining evidence-based breast pump for in-home use, either through rental, Medicaid pump program, or purchase, providing personalized insurance letter as needed. Ensures that each mother is encouraged to use the hospital grade breast pump during all NICU visits, emphasizing the ease of pumping at the infant's bedside.

12. Monitors maternal milk volume and communicates information regarding availability of colostrum, mature milk, and of overflow milk stored in off-unit deep freezers with the health care team.

13. Initiates and completes a Coming to Volume® Record (CTVR) for each mother with an infant in the NICU daily for the first two weeks; assesses milk volume with each mother on a weekly basis thereafter.

14. Quickly intervenes with low volume results providing repeat thorough pump assessment; develops plan to increase milk volume, overcome lactation problems, and maintain adequate milk supply including providing information regarding appropriate options for obtaining and using galactogogues. Provides daily/frequent communication with mother using galactogogue.

15. Explains, demonstrates, and provides specific tearsheet with instructions regarding the safe storage, handling, collecting, labeling, and transport of her milk (via insulated bag) and the importance of proper hand washing and cleansing/sterilization of milk collection equipment.

16. Demonstrates use of maternal milk labels (including My Mom Pumps for me! ®, AKA), to ensure that milk is properly identified for each infant.

17. Explains the difference among: colostrum, fresh, frozen, and hind and fore milk; instructs and assists with variations in milk collection when needed.

18. Participates in data collection and entry for research projects in the NICU.

19. Participates in the collection and entry of data for NICU studies as instructed; appropriate research projects as directed.

20. Participates in weekly Mothers' Milk Club® meetings.

21. Personally invites each mother to the weekly Mothers' Milk Club® luncheon; offers and reviews requirements to utilize Mothers’ Milk Club® taxi.

22. Attends, participates in, and assists with weekly meetings and appropriately shares personal experiences with current mothers.

23. Participates in the management of the Women and Children's Nursing breast pump rental program.

24. Identifies women who qualify for subsidized breast pump rental through the Women and Children's Nursing pump rental program.

25. Assists in all aspects of pump and scale rental including: rental documentation, rental cleaning and labeling, and bi-weekly contacting of women who are renting equipment; assist with rental returns and accepting of payments as requested.

26. Assists in identifying potential future breastfeeding peer counselors and introduces breastfeeding peer counselor training opportunities to current or recent families.

27. Identifies current or parents of a recently discharged NICU infant as ideal candidates for a future breastfeeding peer counselor role.

28. Discusses requirements and educational opportunities with parents considering becoming a breastfeeding peer counselor.

29. Representative for the Rush Mothers’ Milk Club® with local, regional, and national organizations that prioritize lactation, breastfeeding, and the use of human milk.

30. Attends meetings of the state and city breastfeeding task forces, African American Breastfeeding Alliance, La Leche League, Chicago Area Breastfeeding Task Force, and other breastfeeding advocacy groups.

31. Represents the Rush Mothers’ Milk Club as an attendee for local, regional, national, and international meetings and events.

32. Introduces the topic of breastfeeding and the Rush Mothers' Milk Club® program to women who are hospitalized in the antenatal unit, L&D, PICU, peds, and adult units throughout the hospital as appropriate.

33. Consults charge nurse to identify inpatient women for whom high risk or premature delivery is possible.

34. Provides in person visit and introductory information regarding the Rush Mothers' Milk Club®, shares written materials, personal experience, and answers mothers' questions.

35. Invites ambulatory mothers to attend the weekly Mothers' Milk Club® luncheons; visits these women at least twice weekly until their infants are born.

36. Participates in NICU team communication and discharge planning process to facilitate meeting maternal breastfeeding goal both during and after the NICU hospitalization.

37. Attends daily huddle and weekly discharge planning rounds. Participates in the breastfeeding management plan.

38. Provides continuation of lactation resources to families after discharge including referral to community lactation support, option to return for an outpatient visit, or to receive a personal home visit using the Mothers’ Milk Club® taxi.

39. Provides home visit after infant’s NICU discharge as needed; develops feeding plan with mother to transition toward her breastfeeding goal with frequent in person or phone follow-up contacts.

40. Competent participant in NICU human donor milk program.

41. When designated, wears pager and immediately responds to requests to receive human donor milk delivery from human milk bank delivery company.

42. Refers to infant feeding orders and actively communicates on a daily basis with each bedside RN regarding meeting the needs of each NICU infant designated to receive human donor milk.

43. Participates in donor milk preparation including: receipt, storage, transportation, thawing, measuring (utilizing sterile technique), and delivery of prepared donor milk feeding to appropriate location in NICU.

44. Frequently rounds unit to ensure infant’s own mothers’ milk is utilized whenever available, that human donor milk is being properly stored and conserved, and communicates all concerns regarding human donor milk usage in the NICU to appropriate medical team member in a timely manner.

45. Attends staff meetings and stays updated and knowledgeable regarding all aspects of human donor milk.

46. Assists in human milk management program for NICU infants.

47. Documents and maintains an updated record of all milk that is stored in the industrial milk freezers.

48. Provides daily thorough milk check each morning to all milk stored in the NICU including: observing individual milk storage containers to check for label quality and legibility; checking each NICU freezer, refrigerators, and bins for accuracy; ensuring that all necessary milk labels and clean milk storage bins are well stocked in each NICU room and available to staff as needed.

49. Moves stored milk between the NICU freezers and refrigerators and the off-site industrial freezers based on staff request and available space; updates infant record so that staff are aware of milk storage status.

50. Weekly: cleans, dries, and safely stores deep freezer bins informing discharged families of the amount and expiration status of milk stored in our industrial deep freezers; facilitates pick up or provides information and assistance with donation to human milk if mother desires to donate her milk.

Rush is an equal opportunity employer. We evaluate qualified applicants without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, veteran status, and other legally protected characteristics.

**Position** Breastfeeding Peer Counselor | NICU

**Location** US:IL:Chicago

**Req ID** 18665