Milk Lab Technician - Neonatal ICU

Shift: 10:30a-8p. Weekends and Holidays

General Description: Responsible for the handling, storage, mixing and dispensing of human milk and human milk fortifiers for the neonatal and high risk infants. Responsible for the milk storage environment, accurate account of all human milk received and dispensed, and all milk storage supplies. Will work closely with nursing leadership, staff nurses, lactation, prescribing physicians, and mothers of patients.

Essential Responsibilities: Responsibilities listed in this section are core to the position. Inability to perform these responsibilities with or without an accommodation may result in disqualification from the position.

• Provide education to all who handle human milk.
• Performs infant diet functions including, but not limited to, preparing infant feedings using aseptic technique and all policies/procedures developed for the operation of the infant feeding preparation room, checking diet orders for compliance with policy/procedure and essential elements for patient orders, ordering and maintaining adequate supplies to meet patient needs, checking temperature recordings on refrigeration equipment, and checking and disposing of all outdated products per unit policy.
• Provide proper storage of human milk and milk products, not limited to cleanliness, storage temperature, and length of storage.
• Oversee proper labeling of containers of expressed milk utilizing bar coding system to insure safe distribution of milk to the appropriate baby.
• Oversee and maintain milk lab environment in cleanest of settings, utilizing routine hand hygiene as well as refrigerator/freezer cleanliness and clean containers for milk storage.
• Restrict admittance to the Milk Lab to maintain an environment of safety.
• Accurate mixing of human milk with milk fortifiers as directed by the prescribing clinician.
• Accurate labeling of all milk products regarding patient name/bar code/date/time and prescribed feeding. This will include expiration date (used by date).
• Additionally, must learn and comply with all safety policies and rules; must use appropriate safety equipment and procedures at all times; must immediately report all unsafe conditions to the supervisors; must be familiar with all safety features of equipment, tools or materials encompassed by job duties; and must check with supervisors (prior to job performance) if there is a question to the safety of a procedure to be used for any job function.
• Performs other duties as assigned

Minimum Qualifications:

Education: Highschool diploma/GED required. Associate's degree preferred.

Experience: None. Experience in a clinical/medical environment preferred.

License(s)/Certification(s)/Registration(s) Required: None.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

Must have critical thinking skills and the ability to learn and perform clean, safe practice in handling of human milk and human milk fortifiers. Good interpersonal and communication skills that can produce favorable results when dealing with conflict and concerns. Knowledge of research towards best practice in human milk storage, handling, mixing and dispensing. Seek and perform best practices to ensure patient safety as it relates to human milk diet. Ability to create and maintain the optimal environment for feedings of the neonate and high risk infants.