Milk Technician - Specialty Lactation

Summary:

To store, prepare and deliver a mother's breast milk and/or pasteurized donor human milk to hospitalized infants. To provide assistance to mothers of hospitalized infants expressing milk for their infants in a manner appropriate and as necessary.

Responsibilities:

• Meets expectations of the applicable OneCHRISTUS Competencies: Leader of Self, Leader of Others, or Leader of Leaders.
• Accurately weighs, measures, and prepares mother’s own and/or pasteurized donor human milk for infant feeding per physician’s orders.
• Calculates accurate quantities of mother’s own/pasteurized donor human milk and human milk fortifiers based on diet order.
• Uses approved techniques and equipment to prepare milk.
• Weighs and measures all human milk, fortifiers, and nutritional additives.
• Uses sanitary techniques according to established procedures to prepare and store mother's own/pasteurized donor human milk for infant feeding.
• Maintains sanitation standards in the milk storage and prep area with daily sanitation of work areas.
• Monitors all needed milk preparation/storage supplies and discards expired nutritional additives.
• Uses standard sanitation techniques for equipment in use in the milk storage and prep area.
• Uses and practices proper storage times and temperatures for human milk according to written standards at all times to minimize bacterial growth. Rotates stored milk to minimize undue wastage.
• Maintains cleanliness of refrigerator/freezer used to store human milk on a daily schedule.
• Documents and delivers properly labeled human milk feedings to appropriate patient care area.
• Prepares labels to accurately identify mother’s own/pasteurized donor human milk for individually prepared feedings.
• Accurately documents the number of syringes/bottles, milk volumes and additives (when applicable) of human milk preparation on the daily Milk Preparation Record.
• Enters patient charges daily.
• Delivers prepared milk to the appropriate nursing areas on a scheduled daily delivery and PRN.
• Utilizes, monitors, and sanitizes all milk preparation equipment (e.g., analyzer, centrifuge, milk warmer), storage equipment (e.g., refrigerators, freezers), and supplies per Departmental/Hospital policy.
• Performs all tasks necessary to maintain sanitary conditions of milk preparation and storage equipment.
• Maintains competencies required to efficiently and effectively utilize milk preparation/storage equipment and supplies.
• Monitors and maintains the efficient operation and sanitation of all milk preparation/storage equipment.
• Communicate with lactation consultants, nurses, co-workers, and parents to ensure accurate milk preparation, collection, and storage.
• Communicate with parents delivering milk to the Milk storage to ensure proper collection and storage of the mother’s own/pasteurized donor human milk.
• Contact the manager, lactation consultant, or dietician for needed assistance in clarifying feeding orders and verifying the safety of maternal medication use and human milk feeding.
• Communicate with appropriate medical/nursing personnel for needed assistance with feeding order clarification.
• Maintains daily inventory and stock of all Milk storage supplies and equipment required for human milk collection, preparation, and storage.
• Maintains approved par levels of Milk storage supplies (including pasteurized donor human milk) by monitoring inventory, submitting orders, and stocking area on a daily basis.
• Communicates inventory shortages or special-order needs to the Director as appropriate to meet patient care needs.

Job Requirements:

Education/Skills

• High school diploma or equivalent required

Experience

• One (1) year of Nutrition or Breastfeeding education experience preferred

Licenses, Registrations, or Certifications

• BLS (Basic Life Support) required

Work Schedule:

7AM - 5PM

Work Type:

Full Time