The Women and Newborn Division now boasts more than 20 nurses who are Internationally Board Certified Lactation Consultants (IBCLCs). More than half of those nurses recently attained their certification following intense preparation for the six-hour exam. Nurses who achieve Lactation Consultation certification do so on their own time through independent study. The certification allows for a standardized approach to teaching mothers how to breastfeed.
“Lactation Consultation certification really raises the bar in educating women about breastfeeding,” said Marianne Metcalfe, RN, nurse manager, NICU. “In the past, there has been an approach to breastfeeding that was very much trial and error. IBCLCs today not only teach women about the importance of breastfeeding, but they also facilitate it, all the while providing much-needed support to the mother.”
IBCLCs new and old were honored during a Lactation Education Kickoff, which took place on Wednesday, November 20 in the NICU solarium. In addition to recognizing IBCLCs, the Women and Newborn Division also unveiled plans for the new Breastfeeding Education Program. This program resulted from reviewing patient satisfaction surveys, after which the OB Care Improvement Team recommended the creation of a task force to address patient needs. Led by Miriam Trainer, RN, nurse manager, CWN 9, the task force, after many months of planning, created a curriculum to standardize breastfeeding education techniques among all Division nurses. The program will be delivered in the form of a day long in-service, with the first class taking place in January 2003.
“This intense training will further ensure the consistency and competency of what we teach our patients with regard to breastfeeding,” said Paulette Melanson, RNC, MSN, OGNP, nurse manager, CWN 10. “As more and more nurses acquire IBCLC status, and we see the benefits thereof with our patients, the need to make sure all our nurses are on the same page and following the same care plan is inherent. We are very excited to roll out this new program.”