JOB DESCRIPTION

The Lactation Technician is responsible for providing nutritional services through preparing and distributing human breast milk and formula for feedings. The Lactation Technician is also responsible for performing inventory control, conducting compliance audits, and maintaining competency and skills required for professional practice. The Lactation Technician works as a part of the interdisciplinary care team and works under the supervision of the Neonatal Intensive Care management. The Lactation Technician will assist with training other new milk technicians and other disciplines as needed.

EDUCATION & EXPERIENCE

Minimum Qualifications:

• High school or equivalent.

• One (1) year of experience in a hospital or healthcare setting OR is enrolled in a school of nursing and has completed the first semester of education which contains clinical concepts and health assessment or the equivalent OR completion of one of the following technical programs:

  • A recognized Nurse Assistant program,

  • A Medical Assistant program,

  • A Medical Corpsman program,

  • An EMT program, or

  • UTMB Hospital Aide Training Program.

LICENSES, REGISTRATIONS OR CERTIFICATIONS

Required:

• BLS

Preferred:

• Milk Technician Certification.

JOB DUTIES:

• Correctly interpret feeding orders.
• Calculate milk needs to fulfill feeding orders.
• Utilize standardized recipes and procedures to prepare ordered feedings that are nutritionally appropriate.
• Follow principles of Aseptic technique. 
• Maintain clean preparation area and sanitize necessary equipment.
• Properly handle human milk and formulas to ensure safety and minimize waste.
• Verify human milk with second verifier to ensure safety of milk delivery.
• Understand and apply correct expiration dates/times for human milk (fresh, thawed, frozen, and fortified milk) and for the formulas.
• Properly label infant feedings.
• Professionally communicate as needed with clinical staff and serve as a resource for staff questions.
• Participate in continued education relevant to milk preparation process.
• Deliver correct feeding to appropriate location and place in specific patient bins.
• Organize human milk according to the date of expression to ensure appropriate milk is utilized first.
• Maintain daily inventory of supplies, restock accordingly, and inform necessary personnel when donor and human milk fortifier supply stock needs reordering.
• Maintain clean and organized breastmilk refrigerators and freezers.
  Perform quality assurance task, such as maintain logs for: − Freezer and refrigerator temperatures, and − Donor and human fortifier lot numbers.

SALARY RANGE

Actual salary commensurate with experience.

WORK SCHEDULE:

Weekends, day-shift

Equal Employment Opportunity

UTMB Health strives to provide equal opportunity employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, national origin, sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, genetic information, disability, veteran status, or any other basis protected by institutional policy or by federal, state or local laws unless such distinction is required by law. As a Federal Contractor, UTMB Health takes affirmative action to hire and advance protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.