The BRC currently provides lactation services at Holy Redeemer Hospital in Meadowbrook, PA as well as Temple University Hospital in Philadelphia, PA. We are equipped to provide these services to any local hospital. The program includes staff education along with patient consultation. Please contact the BRC Director, Colette Acker to discuss this program. She can be reached at Colette@BRC4Babies.com.
HOW MANY LACTATION CONSULTANTS DOES A HOSPITAL NEED?
The United States Lactation Consultant Association (USLCA) has issued staffing guidelines for IBCLC-credentialed lactation consultants in US hospitals. Identifying and maintaining the appropriate number and mix of nursing and specialty staff is critical to the delivery of quality patient care. Numerous studies reveal an association between the availability of IBCLC lactation consultants and improved breastfeeding outcomes in patients who are nursing their newborns.
Patients should receive resources according to their needs from clinicians with the knowledge and expertise to safely and adequately deliver these services. Busy maternity units, minimal nurse staffing, and lack of specialized knowledge conspire to often prevent the breastfeeding mother from receiving the level and type of care needed to successfully breastfeed her infant. The IBCLC lactation consultant is credentialed to deliver specialized services, much like a diabetes nurse educator, physical therapist, dietitian or other allied health provider. Short hospital stays and mothers and infants with more complex medical histories contribute to the need for lactation consultants to organize and deliver lactation care and services. The new guidelines specify:
- 1.9 FTE (full time equivalents) per 1000 births in hospitals with neonatal intensive care units (Level III hospitals).
- 1.6 FTE (full time equivalents) per 1000 births in hospitals with newborn special care units (Level II hospitals), and
- 1.3 FTE (full time equivalents) per 1000 births in hospitals with standard maternity units (Level I hospitals)
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