Lactation Peer Counselor - Temporary - Women Infant & Children (WIC)

GENERAL DESCRIPTION

Breastfeeding Peer Counselors work with WIC mothers to breastfeed or prepare for a successful breastfeeding experience. Provide basic breastfeeding support, help with minor problems, and monitor for high risk situations that need to be referred on for more specialized care from a lactation consultant or doctor. Promote breastfeeding within the community.

SUPERVISION EXERCISED

This position exercises no direct supervision.

IMPORTANT AND ESSENTIAL DUTIES

Provide individual counseling with pregnant and breastfeeding women in the clinic, on the phone, in the hospital or at the client’s home.

Support mothers during a normal breastfeeding experience.

Accurately and clearly document all services provided in the computer system.

Issue breast pumps and teach proper procedures for use and care. Clean and sterilize breast pumps. Provide breastfeeding information and promote breastfeeding among peers.

Enter client data into the WIC computer system and issue food benefits.

Make follow-up phone calls to mothers who have been issued breast pumps, pregnant women within one month of expected delivery and retrieve overdue pumps.

Provide support and information to breastfeeding moms who will be going back to work or school.

Teach breastfeeding classes. Attend meetings, conferences and train as required by the Breastfeeding Coordinator and WIC Director.

Identify breastfeeding complications beyond scope of practice and make appropriate referrals based on state and local policy and procedures. Issue and fit nursing bras and other supplemental breastfeeding aids.

Facilitate breastfeeding support groups.

Plan and participate in the annual World Breastfeeding Day event.

Operate a City vehicle or personal vehicle to travel to local hospitals or participant’s home to provide breast pump or lactation support services.

OTHER JOB RELATED DUTIES

Perform other job related duties and responsibilities as assigned.

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

Knowledge of:

Breastfeeding basics to address specific concerns of pregnant women and correct

misinformation that may prevent a woman from breastfeeding.

Skill to:

Operate a TV/VCR/DVD in order to conduct classes.

Operate a computer and use MS-Office and Google Suite.

Counsel participants using methods taught in the State WIC training curriculum.

Ability to:

Organize thoughts and present accurate information in stressful situations.

Document accurate record(s) of peer counseling contacts.

Work outside regular clinic hours and outside of the WIC clinic setting.

Participate in PC cell phone duty to respond to hotline calls.

Represent WIC in a professional manner at outreach functions such as hospital visits, community health fairs, and other events.

Clearly communicate with women about the advantages of breastfeeding and the proper procedures to increase duration.

Dispense and maintain inventory of electric and manual breast pumps according to policy.

 Establish and maintain cooperative working relationships with those contacted in the course of work, both internally and externally.

Follow and embrace the City of Abilene Core Values – Respect, Integrity, Service Above Self, and Excellence in All We Do.

Perform as a team member in a manner that accomplishes the Division’s mission and treats team members with dignity, courtesy, and respect.   

Experience and Training Guidelines:

For positions with more than one level, all listed requirements at the lower levels are required at the higher levels. Any combination equivalent to experience and training to provide the required knowledge, skills, and abilities may be qualifying.  Knowledge, skills, and abilities may be obtained through:

Experience:

Must have successfully breastfed or expressed breast milk for at least one child or be currently breastfeeding to provide first-hand knowledge and experience with other mothers.

Must be currently receiving WIC or have received WIC in the past in order to relate to the WIC population as a peer.

Must have the ability to read, write and speak English at a level necessary to successfully complete a 20-hour Peer Counselor Training course, document notes accurately and clearly in participant electronic charts and teach breastfeeding classes.

Education/Training:

Must have attended the USDA 20-hour training course “Loving Support Makes Breastfeeding Work”; or a guided study with the WIC Lactation Consultant should becompleted as soon as possible, but no later than 60 days of employment. Continued  employment will be contingent upon successful completion of the training as determined by the WIC Director.

License or Certificate:

A valid Texas Driver’s License; the ability to obtain one within ninety (90) days of employment, or a military waiver is required.

Special Requirements:

Transportation for off-site travel to local hospitals, doctors’ offices and community organizations for delivery of pumps and outreach information is required.

Essential duties require the following physical skills and work environment:

With or without accommodation, the “X” indicates the overall strength demand of the position during a typical workday:

___     Sedentary – lifting of no more than 10 pounds

___     Light – lifting no more than 20 pounds; carrying up to 10 pounds

_X_     Medium – lifting no more than 50 pounds; carrying up to 25 pounds

___     Heavy – lifting no more than 100 pounds; carrying up to 50 pounds

___     Very Heavy – team lifting over 100 pounds; carrying more than 50 pounds

Physical Demand Codes:  The following describes whether or not the position is expected to exert the physical demands listed during a typical workday as well as the overall frequency of the task:

Codes for how often:

N         =          No

E         =          Extensive (100 – 70% of the time)

M         =          Moderate (60 – 30% of the time)

I           =          Infrequent (20 – 10% of the time)

A         =          Almost Never (<10% of the time)

Code / Task

_M_    Standing

_M_    Sitting

_I__    Walking

_M_    Lifting

_M_    Carrying

_M_    Pushing/Pulling

_I__    Overhead Work

_E_     Fine Dexterity

_I__    Kneeling

_A_     Crouching

_A_     Crawling

_M_    Bending

_I__    Twisting

_I__    Climbing

_M_    Balancing

_E_     Vision

_E_     Hearing

_E_     Talking

___     Other:  _____________________