Detailed job description and main responsibilities

ROLE RESPONSIBILITIES

1.    Demonstrates an understanding of the boundaries of the Maternity Support Worker role and the ability to assertively refuse to undertake skills/task which fall outside of the role.

2.  Provide support for women with infant feeding including breast feeding. Provide advice and recognise correct attachment. Teach mothers how to hand express breast milk. Support women experiencing difficulties. Regularly assists in the breastfeeding clinic. Preparation of artificial feeds and bottle feeding.

3. Assists in the monitoring and maintenance of the health, safety and security of self and others in work area. The post holder must ensure that he/ she works within risk management/ occupational health legislation and Trust procedures for safe working practices.

4. Undertakes clerical duties as required and demonstrate good verbal and non-verbal communication skills. Complies with national and local standards for record keeping.

5. Maintain and manage records and reports.

6. Recognises and respond to emergencies appropriately, adult and neonatal basic life support. Is able to initiate fundamental care during an emergency situation to ensure safety..

7.Is able to support individuals to be self-caring with their individual personal care needs and provide education where required to actively promote maintenance of hygiene. Takes measures to prevent cross infection in accordance with local policy.

8.Support women with their infant feeding choice. Offering evidence based information and support. Able to assess feeding and with the woman write appropriate care plans for ongoing support.

9. Demonstrates an understanding of the common complications of mother and baby, demonstrating an understanding of management of obstetric emergencies.

10. Is aware when babies are usually weighed and able to operate appropriate equipment. Has a knowledge of acceptable weight loss within the first week and able to report appropriately to the midwife. Is able to recognise normal tone, colour, breathing, temperature and behaviour of the newborn. Can describe and recognise physiological jaundice and how to measure for it.

11.Is able to recognise signs of a thriving baby and aware of public health issues and provide parents with appropriate information. Is able to carry out a top and tail demonstration to parents using safe techniques providing care of the baby and meeting hygiene and comfort needs. Is also able to demonstrate safe baby bathing. 

12.Is able to report to the midwife any concerns raised by the mother when undertaking post natal care.  Asking specifically about emotional wellbeing.

13. Understands the importance of not giving advice about care without express permission of the midwife when undertaking neonatal observations. Is able to demonstrate the ability to correctly count the neonatal heart rate, respiratory rate and temperature and recognise the colour of a healthy baby.

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14. Demonstrates an awareness of child protection and domestic abuse care pathways and policies with an awareness of factors that might alert him/her to the possibility of a child protection or domestic abuse issue and able to cite appropriate response to these concerns. Attends Level 3 training.

15. Attend further training developed by UNICEF BFI, to fully understand the BFI Standards and support the Infant Lead in developing the service to meet BFI standards, the training of staff and the empower staff to embrace the BFI standards.

16. Support the Infant Team Lead in undertaking audits required by the BFI.

17. Assist the specialist midwives  with the Frenulotmy clinic.

 18. Assist with administration duties required by the Infant Feeding Lead.

OTHER RESPONSIBILITIES

1.    Post-holder is aware that their role includes exposure to biohazards and other potentially unpleasant materials and takes responsibility for protecting themselves and others where appropriate through implementation of measures such as universal precautions and equipment/material supplied by their employer for such use.

2.    With training he/she is comfortable and confident with lone working.

This job description is not exhaustive and will be subject to periodic review in association with the post-holder.